Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has noted that investigations conducted have exposed five persons for their alleged involvement in the bribery case involving former Goldman Sachs banker and Tema Oil Refinery Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, August 27, the OSP named former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor; Francis Walkson Kwasi Dzafa, a former Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power; Solomon Adjetey Sowah, a Deputy Director; Lyndon Nii Mettle, Director of Tricorp Group Limited; and Baffour Ankomah Brobbey, an employee of Tricorp Group Limited, as persons of interest in the case.

According to the Special Prosecutor, their exposure does not automatically make them culpable of an offence.

The investigation follows the conviction of Mr. Berko by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, on August 6. He was found guilty of involvement in a scheme to pay more than US$1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant.

The project was a deal between the Government of Ghana and a Turkish firm, Aksa Enerji.

According to the United States (U.S.) prosecutors the scheme operated between 2014 and 2015, when Ghana was experiencing severe power shortages, also known as dumsor.

The U.S prosecution added that, in order to get the power project approved, Mr Berko and his accomplices intended to pay the then Minister of Power who was in charge of the approvals needed for the project US$1 million.

Additionally, the prosecution noted that other Ghanaian officials who have links to the power sector also received payments in that regard.

They allege that the group arranged to be reimbursed for these bribes through fraudulent invoices issued to the energy company.

The reimbursements were then funnelled from Turkey, through US bank accounts, and ultimately to Ghana.

In addition to facing extradition, Berko was also sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2020 for the same conduct.

He settled the SEC's lawsuit by agreeing to pay more than $329,000 in fines without admitting or denying the allegations.

A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.