Man behind controversial $1.5m sale of Ghana’s Nigerian property arrested

Bright Mensah Bonsu has been arrested by Ghanaian security authorities. He is involved in a controversial sale of a diplomatic property owned by Ghana's High Commission in Nigeria.

Mensah Bonsu was reportedly a special aide to the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa. Bawa served as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria under President Akufo-Addo. It is alleged that Mensah Bonsu received $1.5 million in cash for the property.

The arrest follows public outcry and scrutiny over the transaction. Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, stated that the $1.5 million was never deposited into any official government account. There is also no record confirming that the funds were declared at the Ministry.

Concerns have risen about the sale of Ghana’s diplomatic assets abroad. The Foreign Affairs Ministry plans to launch a full investigation into this matter. Documents show that Mensah Bonsu and his collaborators valued the Lagos beachfront property at $5.3 million.

They considered the $1.5 million payment as just an initial installment. Ablakwa noted that their plans may have been disrupted by the upcoming 2024 elections.

Investigations are underway regarding how Mensah Bonsu received a diplomatic passport on October 18, 2023, from the Akufo-Addo government. Reports suggest he should not have been eligible for such a passport.

Despite often being seen with the High Commissioner, Mensah Bonsu was not an employee of either the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria. The government assures Nigerian officials and potential buyers that justice will be served and efforts will be made to recover the $1.5 million.

Ablakwa emphasized that no one involved in this conspiracy would be protected by the Mahama administration. He reiterated that no diplomatic property belonging to Ghana is for sale and warned against testing their resolve on this issue.

The Government of Ghana remains committed to maintaining strong relations with Nigeria despite this incident. They promise to uphold justice and accountability throughout this process.