By Collins Sarkodieh 
Ghanaians looking for accountability can finally breathe a sigh of relief as state prosecutors move to bring every corrupt actor to book. The Ministry of Justice has officially opened talks with United States federal authorities to identify and prosecute additional suspects linked to a massive energy sector bribery scheme.
Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai confirmed the diplomatic collaboration on social media. Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine is actively engaging his counterparts in Washington to track down Ghanaian officials who allegedly pocketed kickbacks to approve a major power plant project between 2014 and 2017.
This legal offensive follows the landmark conviction of Ghanaian-American businessman Asante Kwaku Berko in a New York federal court. A US jury found the former Goldman Sachs executive guilty of conspiracy, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and laundering illicit money.
US prosecutors revealed that Berko helped orchestrate over $1 million in secret payments to Ghanaian public officers on behalf of a Turkish energy firm during a severe national electricity crisis. Evidence presented in court showed that he arranged $5,000 cash packages for five visiting delegates in Turkey and facilitated major cash moves through international shell accounts.
Berko now faces up to 30 years in prison when Judge Diane Gujarati passes sentence in November. Having already paid $329,000 in civil fines to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, his criminal conviction signals a sharp turn for anyone who thought they could hide illicit wealth overseas.
With state prosecutors digging into fraudulent invoices and nominee bank accounts, citizens expect swift local prosecutions. Bringing these co-conspirators to trial will prove that no public officer can abuse national power for private gain without facing severe legal consequences.
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