Asante Berko, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director denies claims by US regulators claiming while he was serving as the official of Goldman Sachs,
A Turkish company paid an amount of $4.5 million as bribe to Ghanaian government officials.
But he says he only got $2million as arrange fee.
ALSO READ : Auditor General Daniel Yaw Domelevo Grabs GH¢350,000 From GETFund
In a statement released today he said As quoted ;
“The Turkish IPP agreed to pay me fee of $2million (1.3% of the capital raise) as I have spent the bulk of two years working on this transaction”,
Asante Berko said,
while it is true that the Securities and Exchange Commission this week issued such proceedings against him, the allegations that government officials and members of parliament were bribed by him, “are completely false. I am therefore compelled to set the record straight.”
The lawsuit accused Mr Berko, of arranging a $4.5 million in bribes to government officials in Ghana.
The amount, say the US regulators, was aimed at helping a Turkish company to secure a power contract in Ghana.
However Mr. Asante Berko is alleged to have arranged the amount to be paid to Ghanaian government officials.
“From approximately 2015 through at least 2016 (the “relevant period”), while employed at the Subsidiary, Berko schemed to bribe various government officials in the Republic of Ghana (“Ghana”) so that a client of the Subsidiary, a Turkish Energy Company (the “Energy Company”), would win a contract (the “Power Purchase Agreement”) to build and operate an electrical power plant in Ghana and sell the power to the Ghanaian government (the “Power Plant Project” or “Project”),”
— SEC lawsuit.
Asante Berko insisted all allegations were false.
BY : MOD DEE
