Breakdown of bribes former TOR MD paid to Ghanaian officials to secure energy deal for Turkish firm
Court documents in the bribery case involving former Goldman Sachs banker Timis Berko have detailed a series of payments allegedly made to facilitate a Ghanaian power project, including more than $2 million in transfers and other expenses.
Former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko allegedly paid over $2 million in bribes to secure an energy deal for a Turkish firm in Ghana, according to court documents in his bribery case. The first transfer of $500,000 was made in April 2015, followed by a second payment of $1.5 million in May 2015, both wired from Turkey to Ghana through New York.
These payments coincided with the signing of the deal by a senior Ghanaian official. Additionally, five Ghanaian officials were paid $5,000 each during a trip to Turkey to inspect equipment for the project, along with their travel and accommodation expenses. A further $140,000 was transferred as a reimbursement settlement. An August 2015 email from prosecutors provided a detailed breakdown of the payments, including $20,000 for the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, $10,000 for a named Ghanaian official, $20,000 for Ministry of Power staff, $25,000 for the "Power Team", and $20,000 for GRIDCo engineers.
Parliament was allocated $30,000, and Berko received an additional $35,000, which prosecutors described as his personal cut. The email also mentioned an unspecified amount for travel and visas for the Turkey trip and left recipients waiting for Berko's "holy rain". These revelations have heightened scrutiny of both Berko's and the Ghanaian government's involvement in the power project.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
