Kofi Tonto denies links to alleged $19m US Embassy financial irregularities

Former Head of Information and Public Affairs at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., Kofi Tonto, has denied any involvement in an alleged fraudulent scheme linked to about US$19 million in financial irregularities at the mission.

Tonto said attempts to associate him with the alleged wrongdoing were misleading, explaining that a US$800 payment he received in July 2021 was a legitimate child benefit following the birth of his daughter.

“I wish to state that I have never been involved in any scheme, the abating of, or the receipt of any ill-obtained funds,” Tonto said in a statement issued on Wednesday, 12 August.

He said although the forensic audit into the Embassy’s finances referenced the US$800 payment, it did not identify him as a person of interest requiring investigation into the alleged irregularities.

According toTonto, the audit report showed that about 28 other staff members had also received various benefits linked to significant life events.

He said the payment was neither solicited nor determined by him but was made through established employment-related processes.

Tonto argued that the one-off payment could not reasonably be used to link him to an alleged fraudulent scheme involving approximately US$19 million, particularly because he had no control over the source of the funds.

“All payments such as compensations, allowances, benefits, and refunds, that I received during my tenure as Head of Information and Public Affairs at the Embassy between the period March 2019 and July 2021, were received bona fide by me as a worker,” he said.

He added that the payments were made in accordance with what he described as longstanding established processes.

No role in Embassy financial management

Tonto further denied having any responsibility for the financial management of the Embassy.

He said he had no role in decisions concerning the operation or closure of the mission’s bank accounts.

He therefore urged his family, friends and the general public to disregard what he described as a distorted narrative linking him to wrongdoing in the matter.

Tonto maintained that the forensic audit’s reference to the US$800 payment should not be interpreted as evidence of his involvement in the alleged financial irregularities.

AsaaseRadio