Former Minister for Power, Dr Kwabena Donkor, has denied any knowledge of the ‘holy rain’ bribery allegations linking him to the US conviction of former Goldman Sachs banker Kwaku Asante Berko, warning that any publication suggesting otherwise will attract immediate legal action.
In a press statement issued on Monday, August 10, 2026, his lawyers, Cavendish Chambers, said Dr Donkor’s name had been associated with the matter on social media, but that he had “absolutely no knowledge” of any request or demand for money as alleged.
Asante Berko, a dual US-Ghanaian citizen and former Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery, was convicted last week by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, over a scheme to pay more than $1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant in Ghana under a deal with Turkish energy company, Aksa Energy.
Dr Donkor’s lawyers confirmed he was the sitting Minister of Power at the time, and that his ministry negotiated with Aksa Energy for the supply of power during the height of the “dumsor” load-shedding crisis. They said a technical team, drawn from stakeholders across the power sector, travelled to Istanbul at the time to inspect equipment as part of standard pre-shipment procedure, but maintained that Dr Donkor never met Berko throughout the negotiations.
“He has never met the said Mr Asante Berko all his life. He never discussed any personal benefit of any value whatsoever with Mr Asante Berko or any other person for that matter,” the statement said.
It added that the former minister never authorised anyone to negotiate on his behalf and never received money or any benefit from Berko or anyone else.
The lawyers also distanced Dr Donkor from references in the US case to a “Senior Ghana Official,” saying any person who made demands using his name did so for their own benefit.
Read the full statement below:
