Kwabena Donkor Denies Bribery Allegations Linked to US Conviction of TOR's Asante Berko

• Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has denied any role in bribery allegations linked to Asante Berko
• Dr Donkor's lawyers confirmed he served as Power Minister during negotiations with ASKA Energy over Ghana's Dumsor crisis but said he never met Berko at any point
• The lawyers warned that publications damaging to Dr Donkor's reputation would result in immediate legal proceedings

Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has categorically denied any connection to bribery allegations that surfaced following the conviction of former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director and Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko by a US federal jury in Brooklyn on 6 August 2026.

In a statement released through his legal representatives, Dr Donkor said he had no knowledge whatsoever of the allegations circulating about him on social media and flatly denied ever requesting or receiving money from Berko or anyone else.

"Our client instructs us in very crystal clear language that he has absolutely no knowledge about the allegations linked to him.

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He completely and emphatically denies any knowledge of a request or demand for any money as alleged," his lawyers stated.

While confirming that Donkor served as the minister responsible for power during the relevant period, his lawyers clarified that his ministry negotiated with ASKA Energy to address Ghana's electricity shortfall during the acute load-shedding crisis widely known as Dumsor.

As part of those negotiations, a technical team from the Ghanaian power sector travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, to inspect generation equipment intended for deployment in Ghana, described by the lawyers as standard pre-shipment inspection practice.

Despite this involvement, Donkor maintained he never encountered Mr Berko at any stage of the process.

"According to our client, at no point in the course of this negotiation did he once set eyes on the said Mr Asante Berko nor has he since," his lawyers said.

Lawyers Reject Any Criminal Inference

The statement went further, dismissing claims that testimony from other individuals during the US trial implicated Donkor in any wrongdoing.

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His lawyers argued that third-party assertions that money was needed for a "Senior Ghana Official" did not constitute evidence of criminality against their client.

"He does not accept that evidence that some other person or persons claimed that they required money from their principals for the benefit of 'Senior Ghana Official' or any other title holder metamorphosed into any evidence of criminality or wrongdoing against him," they said.

The lawyers also contended that should anyone have made criminal demands using Donkor's name, those individuals acted entirely for their own benefit without his knowledge or authorisation.

Closing with a firm warning, the legal team put the public on notice that any statement or publication that could be seen as impugning their client's character would attract immediate legal action.

Berko was convicted by a US federal jury on charges related to bribing Ghanaian government officials during the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama to secure a power plant contract, and for laundering illicit payments through the American financial system.

Source: YEN.com.gh