Ghanaian authorities have apprehended Bright Mensah Bonsu, the individual accused of attempting to sell a prime diplomatic property belonging to Ghana’s High Commission in Nigeria.
According to Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Mensah Bonsu allegedly received $1.5 million in cash and signed documents purporting to sell the property, valued at $5.3 million, without authorization.
Mensah Bonsu claimed to be a special aide to the late Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Alhaji Rashid Bawa. However, investigations revealed that he was not a staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria.
The $1.5 million payment was not made to government accounts, and there is no record of the cash being officially declared at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding Mensah Bonsu’s acquisition of a diplomatic passport, issued on October 18, 2023.
The Mahama administration has assured that justice will be served, and those involved in the scam will face severe consequences.
Minister Ablakwa emphasized that no diplomatic property belonging to Ghana is for sale and warned that anyone who tests their resolve will face the consequences.
Mensah Bonsu is expected to face criminal prosecution soon, and it remains to be seen how he will back his claims that he acted on the instructions of his superiors.
The government is determined to recover the $1.5 million and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Ghana is committed to maintaining its great and ancestral bilateral relations with Nigeria and will not let this incident mar their relationship.
Minister Ablakwa reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s international image and ensuring that those who engage in such activities are held accountable.
