K.T. Hammond Blasts Asante Berko Over Kwabena Donkor Allegations
K.T. Hammond, the lawyer for former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor, has strongly denied allegations linking his client to a bribery scheme that led to the conviction of Asante Berko, a former Goldman Sachs banker, in the United States.
Berko was found guilty of conspiracy to violate the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and violating the Act, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering, on August 6, 2026, in connection with a power plant deal involving Aksa Energy. According to US prosecutors, Berko paid more than US$1 million in bribes between 2014 and 2015 to multiple Ghanaian officials, including those in Dr Donkor's ministry, to secure the deal.
Dr Donkor's Denial
Dr Donkor has categorically rejected the allegations, with his lawyer, K.T. Hammond, telling JoyNews that his client has never met Berko, negotiated with him, or received money from him. Hammond read from instructions he said he had received from Dr Donkor, stating, "He has never met me. He never dealt with it." He added, "He didn't meet this man. He never negotiated with him. He never made any demands. It's all there. It's categorical denials. A, B, C, D, E."
Hammond maintained that Dr Donkor's position was unambiguous and rejected suggestions that the denial could be interpreted to leave room for questions about payments allegedly made in Dr Donkor's name. When pressed on whether alleged payments made by persons connected to the transaction had come to Dr Donkor's attention, Hammond declined to accept the premise of the question, saying, "Could you ask another serious person? Don't be flippant about this matter. We're dealing with serious matters. Please."
Power Deal Inspection
Hammond confirmed that Dr Donkor was Power Minister at the time of the power deal and defended the technical inspection of power-generation equipment in Istanbul, Turkey. He explained that such an inspection was a normal part of the due diligence required for a major infrastructure project, particularly given Ghana's electricity crisis at the time. "So the procedure would always be to get the technical people to go on site and inspect and be sure about the sanctity and integrity of the equipment you are receiving," he said.
According to Hammond, Ghana was acquiring about 370 megawatts of generating equipment during a period of severe power shortages, making technical verification important before the equipment was shipped. He said the delegation included representatives from various stakeholders in Ghana's electricity sector, including the Volta River Authority.
Responsibility and Investigation
Hammond argued that Dr Donkor could not be held responsible if individuals independently used his name to make improper demands. "If anybody goes on the frolic of their own and makes some scandalous and criminal demands on his behalf, he did not provide that," he said. "Those individuals would have done it for their own benefit, and he cannot be held responsible for that." The argument seeks to distinguish Dr Donkor from the conduct of any third parties who may have been involved in the bribery scheme.
Dr Donkor himself has not been charged with any offense in connection with the case. Asked whether the former minister had been contacted by Ghana's Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) or US authorities, Hammond said he was unsure, stating, "I'm not sure." The OSP has previously disclosed that it provided investigative and evidentiary assistance to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under Ghana's mutual legal assistance framework in the case that culminated in Berko's conviction.
Next Steps
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has intensified its investigation into the Ghanaian dimension of the case, including asset tracing and recovery. The Attorney-General has directed EOCO to escalate its investigations as relevant information and official records are obtained from US authorities. For now, Dr Donkor maintains that he had no involvement in the alleged bribery and that he never met Berko, negotiated with him, or received money from him. The former minister's denial comes as Ghanaian authorities continue examining evidence emerging from the US proceedings and assess whether any individuals in Ghana may have breached the law.
Source: Joy Online
