Bright Mensah Bonsu, the man at the centre of a controversial sale of a diplomatic property belonging to Ghana’s High Commission in Nigeria, has been arrested by Ghanaian security authorities.
Mensah Bonsu, reportedly a special aide to the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Ghana’s former High Commissioner to Nigeria under the Akufo-Addo administration, is alleged to have received $1.5 million in cash and signed documents to sell the property.
The arrest comes amid growing scrutiny over the transaction, which has sparked public outcry and calls for accountability.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, April 15, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed that the $1.5 million payment was never deposited into any official government account.
He also indicated that there is no record at the Ministry confirming that the funds were ever formally declared.
The development has raised serious concerns about the sale of Ghana’s diplomatic assets abroad, with the Foreign Affairs Ministry expected to launch a full-scale investigation into the matter.
“Documents reveal that Bright Mensah Bonsu and his collaborators had valued the prime Lagos beachfront diplomatic property at US$5.3million and considered the US$1.5million payment as the first installment. The outcome of the 2024 elections must have thwarted their plans,” Ablakwa disclosed.
He stated that security operatives are investigating the circumstances under which Bright Mensah Bonsu was issued a diplomatic passport on October 18, 2023 by the Akufo-Addo government.
“We are also investigating the circumstances under which Bright Mensah Bonsu was issued a diplomatic passport on October 18, 2023 by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government when from all assessments, he could not have been eligible for a diplomatic passport.
“Bright Mensah Bonsu was not a staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria even though he was often seen in the company of the High Commissioner.”
He assured the Nigerian government officials and the buyer that they would bring the alleged criminals to justice and recover the US$1.5 million.
He warned that the Mahama administration would not shield anyone who played a role in this grand conspiracy “not only to commit crime but to dent Ghana’s enviable international image.”
Read the full statement by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
We got him!
Bright Mensah Bonsu, the man who received US$1.5million cash and signed documents purporting to sell a prime diplomatic property belonging to Ghana’s High Commission in Nigeria has finally been arrested by Ghanaian security operatives.
Bright Mensah Bonsu describes himself as a special aide to former Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa who was appointed by President Akufo-Addo.
It is important to emphasize that the US$1.5million cash was not paid into government accounts neither is there any record at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the cash was officially declared.
Documents reveal that Bright Mensah Bonsu and his collaborators had valued the prime Lagos beachfront diplomatic property at US$5.3million and considered the US$1.5million payment as the first installment. The outcome of the 2024 elections must have thwarted their plans.
We are also investigating the circumstances under which Bright Mensah Bonsu was issued a diplomatic passport on October 18, 2023 by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government when from all assessments, he could not have been eligible for a diplomatic passport.
Bright Mensah Bonsu was not a staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria even though he was often seen in the company of the High Commissioner.
As we await criminal prosecution shortly, it would be interesting to see how Mr. Mensah Bonsu backs his claims that he acted on the instructions of his superiors, and that those superiors gave him access to documents on the diplomatic property.
This latest significant development should send clear assurances to Nigerian government officials and the Nigerian attempted buyer who have all desperately petitioned the Mahama government demanding our intervention, that consistent with what we have always said, we take this matter very seriously and will do everything in our power to bring the notorious criminals to justice and recover the US$1.5million.
The Mahama administration would not shield anyone who played a role in this grand conspiracy not only to commit crime but to dent Ghana’s enviable international image.
The Government of Ghana is equally determined not to allow this condemnable incident to mar our great and ancestral bilateral relations with Nigeria.
We promised that justice will be done, we are keeping our word.
Let me state for the umpteenth time, no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana is for sale — severe consequences awaits anyone who tests our resolve.
