Accra: A former information officer for Ghana's embassy in the United States, Kofi Tonto, has addressed claims regarding the $800 he received during his tenure at the embassy. Tonto emphasized that the sum was a legitimate child benefit following the birth of his daughter and not associated with any fraudulent activities.
According to Ghana Web, Tonto refuted allegations linking him to a $19 million fraudulent scheme at Ghana's Embassy in Washington, USA. He clarified that the $800, which he received in July 2021, was a lawful child benefit package related to his daughter's birth in January 2021. Tonto stressed that this payment was a standard practice within the embassy, with about 28 other staff members receiving similar benefits for significant life events.
Tonto further explained that he neither solicited the payment nor determined its amount or the payment bank account. He argued that his receipt of the $800 could not be used to falsely implicate him in the alleged fraud. Tonto highlighted that the audit report did not name him as a person of interest in the investigation, underscoring his innocence in the matter.