P.K. Sarpong challenges Kwabena Donkor to face U.S. court over alleged $1m bribery Link

P.K. Sarpong Challenges Kwabena Donkor to face U.S. court Over Alleged $1m Bribery Link

P.K. Sarpong has challenged former Energy Minister Dr. Kwabena Donkor to travel to the United States and clear his name over allegations linking him to a $1 million bribery scheme.

In a strongly worded commentary titled “WhatsApp Is Not a Courtroom: Go and Clear Your Name in the U.S.”, Mr. Sarpong dismissed Dr. Donkor’s recent WhatsApp communications, arguing that social media platforms are not the appropriate avenue to address allegations arising from proceedings in the United States.

According to him, Dr. Donkor should instead present his defence before the appropriate U.S. authorities if he maintains that he is innocent of the allegations.

Mr. Sarpong questioned Dr. Donkor’s claim that he was “in the dark” during the trial involving former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Berko, arguing that the former minister had been named in connection with an alleged $1 million bribe.

He further claimed that Dr. Donkor had failed to adequately respond to substantive issues raised during the proceedings and accused him of resorting to lengthy social media messages to defend his reputation.

Mr. Sarpong also contrasted the U.S. investigative and judicial systems with Ghana’s institutions, particularly the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

He expressed scepticism about the ability of Ghanaian institutions to pursue individuals with political connections, while praising U.S. investigators and courts for what he described as a more evidence-based approach to criminal investigations and prosecution.

The commentary also contained criticism of OSP Kissi Agyebeng, with Mr. Sarpong alleging that the Special Prosecutor has failed to take decisive action in politically sensitive cases. He also made claims concerning the Airbus matter, which he used to question public confidence in Ghana’s anti-corruption institutions.

Mr. Sarpong ultimately urged Dr. Donkor to stop relying on WhatsApp statements to address the controversy and instead face the appropriate U.S. judicial processes.

“Let the evidence speak for itself,” he concluded.

The allegations and assertions contained in Mr. Sarpong’s commentary have not, in themselves, established criminal liability on the part of Dr. Donkor, and any determination of wrongdoing would rest with the appropriate investigative and judicial authorities.