Accra: Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem Sai has revealed that the government of Ghana is collaborating with US authorities to prosecute individuals involved in a bribery scheme connected to the development of a power plant in Ghana. This initiative follows the conviction of Asante Kwaku Berko, a Ghanaian-American and former Goldman Sachs investment banker, by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York. Berko was found guilty on charges of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), violating the Act, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to Ghana Web, Dr. Srem Sai, in a Facebook post dated August 8, 2026, emphasized the Attorney General's commitment to working with US law enforcement to ensure that all individuals implicated in the bribery scheme are brought to justice. The scheme was tied to a 2014-2017 contract between a Turkish energy company and the Ghanaian government. This follows Berko's conviction in Brooklyn for his involvement in the corrupt activities.
The evidence presented in the US federal court highlighted that Berko and his co-conspirators used code names, such as "holy rain," to disguise their illegal activities. The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York shared details on August 6, 2026, revealing that in one instance, a bribe recipient was described as waiting for "holy rain" and expressed an urgency for its arrival.
The US Department of Justice identified "holy rain" as a metaphor for bribe payments used by Berko to secure a contract for Turkish energy firm Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S. The scheme involved over $1 million in bribes to several Ghanaian officials at various stages of the project. Discussions in April 2015 included plans to pay $1 million to Ghana's Minister of Power and $250,000 to his senior adviser.
Bribes were also extended to five Ghanaian officials during a fully-funded trip to Turkey to inspect equipment for the power plant. Following Parliament's approval of the agreement in July 2015, discussions continued on how to distribute and conceal these payments. One payment saw $250,000 distributed among individuals, including $46,000 to members of Parliament who ratified the agreement, a payment Berko personally facilitated.
Prosecutors noted that the conspirators avoided explicit descriptions of the payments as bribes, instead employing coded language and other methods to hide their activities. Berko and his associates used personal email accounts, shell companies, sham invoices, nominee accounts, and cash withdrawals to conceal their fraudulent dealings.