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Former Akufo-Addo Appointee Extradited To The US Over Bribery Charges
Ghana

Former Akufo-Addo Appointee Extradited To The US Over Bribery Charges

by  Delali Adogla-Bessa 2 min read
  • A former managing director of the Tema Oil Refinery, Asante Berko, has been extradited to the US following corruption charges
  • Berko's extradition to the US followed cooperation between the UK, Interpol, and the US Marshals Service
  • In April 2022, the US Security and Exchange Commission charged Berko with facilitating at least $4.5 million in bribes

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Asante Berko, a former managing director of the Tema Oil Refinery, has been extradited to the US from the UK and hauled before a Brooklyn court on charges of bribing Ghanaian government officials and money laundering.

Berko's extradition to the US entailed cooperation between the UK, Interpol, and the US Marshals Service.

Former Akufo-Addo Appointee Extradited To The US Over Bribery And Corruption Charges
Asante Berko was the former TOR MD. Source: citnewsroom.com
Source: UGC

The FBI's International Corruption Unit conducted the investigation, and the case is being handled by the Eastern District of New York's Business and Securities Fraud Section.

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According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, authorities have indicated their commitment to dealing with the kind of bribery Berko is accused of.

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If convicted, Berko faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for money laundering conspiracy and five years for each count of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and conspiracy to violate the FCPA.

According to the indictment, Berko, a dual citizen of the US and Ghana, conspired with others between 2014 and 2017 to funnel bribes to Ghanaian officials in exchange for supporting a Turkish energy company's bid to build and operate a power plant.

Why was Berko charged?

In April 2022, the US Security and Exchange Commission charged Berko with facilitating at least $4.5 million in bribes.

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The alleged bribes were to help a Turkish energy company win a contract to build a power plant in Ghana.

Berko was accused of paying at least $66,000 to members of the Ghanaian parliament. He was eventually arrested in the UK over the bribery scheme.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Delali Adogla-Bessa avatar

Delali Adogla-Bessa (Current Affairs Editor) Delali Adogla-Bessa is a Current Affairs Editor with YEN.com.gh. Delali previously worked as a freelance journalist in Ghana and has over seven years of experience in media, primarily with Citi FM, Equal Times, Ubuntu Times. Delali also volunteers with the Ghana Institute of Language Literacy and Bible Translation, where he documents efforts to preserve local languages. He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2014 with a BA in Information Studies. Email: delali.adogla-bessa@yen.com.gh.

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