
GES, Education Ministry under fire over ghost names and illegal allowances
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22nd August 2025 5:38:07 PM
4 mins readBy: Amanda Cartey
The ongoing court case about the seizure of a 2019 Lamborghini Urus from dancehall star Shatta Wale is mainly about repayment, not punishment, according to international lawyer Amanda Clinton.
Ms Clinton stated: “The lack of criminal charges suggests this is truly about restitution—not punishing Shatta Wale, but securing repayment via the car.”
In an interview, the lawyer explained that because no criminal charges have been filed against Shatta Wale, the case looks more like a repayment process than a criminal trial.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) started the investigation after a request from the U.S. Department of Justice, which wants the car returned as part of a court order.
The vehicle has been tagged as a “substitute asset” to help cover a US$4 million repayment order against Nana Kwabena Amuah, a Ghanaian who was convicted of fraud in the U.S.
She further explained that EOCO’s job is to carry out asset seizure laws and make sure Ghana meets its obligations under an agreement with the U.S. known as a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).
In Ghana, however, the process is not automatic. Even though EOCO has taken the car, it must still go to a High Court for permission to enforce the U.S. request. The court will decide if the car is considered “proceeds of crime” under Ghanaian law and whether Shatta Wale counts as an “innocent purchaser” who bought the car honestly.
“The EOCO’s investigation is not a direct fraud case against Shatta Wale but rather an enforcement of a foreign restitution order,” she explained in an interview with Citi FM.
Ms Clinton’s comments show how international justice systems work together to recover assets linked to global financial crimes.
Shatta Wale was held for nearly two days over the issue and released on August 21.
Shatta Wale, was released from the custody of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) after a bail variation.
Shatta Wale was on Wednesday night granted bail of GHC10,000,000 with two sureties to be justified in investigations surrounding a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, a car identified by the FBI and the US Justice Department as proceeds of a $4 million crime.
The $4 million crime involves Nana Kwabena Amuah, a Ghanaian who is currently serving a jail term in the USA.
However, he was not able to make bail, prompting his legal counsel to apply for a variation of bail. Subsequently, EOCO granted the singer bail of GHC5 billion with two sureties to be justified.
Under the new conditions, Shatta Wale is required to report to EOCO three times a week as investigations continue.
Shatta Wale was invited by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) following a public claim on August 5 that he purchased the car in question at a price of US$150,000 from an unidentified party.
According to EOCO in a press statement issued on August 21, an invitation was issued to Charles Nii Armah Mensah to report on August 13.
This was, however, rescheduled for August 20, 2025 at 10am.
"Counsel for Charles Nii Armah Mensah, indicated to EOCO officers that they would prefer to report at 11am. EOCO readjusted its schedule to align with their time. Shortly before 11am, Counsel for Nii Armah called EOCO to claim that his client was not available and that he was also busy," a part of the statement noted.
EOCO indicated to the singer's Counsel that he and his client were expected to report as scheduled.
Charles Nii Armah Mensah arrived in the Office around 3pm and, according to EOCO, insisted that he was not going to cooperate until his counsel arrived, a right which he is entitled and was accorded him.
"EOCO investigators and Charles Nii Armah Mensah waited from 11am till 5pm before his Counsel showed up. Incidentally, EOCO's closing time is 5pm. Nevertheless, EOCO staff and the entire operational team chose to carry on with the interrogation which ended around 9pm. Officers eventually left the Office around 11pm," the statement further revealed.
Nii Armah was only granted bail around 9pm shortly after interrogation ended.
Charles Nii Armah Mensah would only leave EOCO's custody after it undertakes surety inspection, which is a standard protocol.
According to EOCO, Charles Nii Armah Mensah has been unable to identify the person from whom he purchased the said Lamborghini Urus vehicle.
He is reported to have said he purchased it from the "Street" and from someone possibly called "ZAK" who may have contacted him on WhatsApp but whose identity he does not know and whose contact he has thrown away.
Also, EOCO states that Charles Nii Armah Mensah does not also possess any documentation in terms of receipt or transfer documents which shows that he owns or purchased the said vehicle except a customs declaration document in his possession bearing the name of Nana Kwabena Amuah, who is currently in jail.
Earlier this morning, die-hard fans of Shatta Wale started to mass up at the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) following the singer's detention on Wednesday.
They demanded his immediate release from EOCO detention.
EOCO's investigation forms part of a larger investigation regarding possible co-conspirators in the $4m crime which occurred in the US involving some Ghanaians and recoveries of the proceeds of the crime.
Following requests from the FBI and the US Justice Department of EOCO to track the vehicle and conduct local investigations in respect of uncovering possible co-conspirators in Ghana, EOCO began looking for the vehicle until it was identified and seized in or around May this year in the possession of one Charles Nii Armah Mensah.
On August 15, 2025, a United States District Court of the Eastern District of Kentucky, Central Division of Lexington in a criminal case of the United States of America vrs. Nana Kwabena Amuah issued an order Forfeiting Substitute Asset on the Lamborghini Urus in question, authorising the US Government to take possession of the said vehicle in Ghana as restitution for the crime.
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