Former Head of Information and Public Affairs at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, Kofi Tonto, has denied allegations linking a US$800 payment he received in July 2021 to an alleged US$19 million fraudulent scheme at the Embassy.
In a statement, Mr. Tonto said he had become aware of an online publication alleging that he received US$800 from the purported fraudulent proceeds.
He described the report as a distorted narrative and stressed that he had never participated in any scheme involving the sharing or receipt of ill-gotten funds.
Mr. Tonto said the US$800 was a legitimate child benefit paid to him following the birth of his daughter in January 2021.
According to him, the payment was part of an established benefit system at the Embassy and had nothing to do with any alleged fraudulent activities.
“The amount of $800 which I received in July 2021 was money which was lawfully paid to me as a child benefit package for the birth of my daughter which occurred in January 2021,” he stated.
Mr. Tonto said an alleged forensic audit by the Ghana Audit Service covering the affairs of the Embassy from 2017 to 2025 did not identify him as a person of interest for investigation.
He explained that the payment of child benefits was a standard practice that existed before his tenure, adding that the audit report indicated that about 28 other staff members also received benefits for various life-changing events.
He therefore rejected suggestions that the one-time payment could be used to implicate him in the alleged US$19 million fraud.
“I did not solicit for the payment, determine the amount, determine the payment bank account, nor could I have known the source of funding,” he said.
Mr. Tonto further clarified that all compensations, allowances, benefits and refunds he received while serving as Head of Information and Public Affairs at the Embassy between March 2019 and July 2021 were received in his capacity as a worker and were processed through established procedures.
He stressed that he was never involved in decisions concerning the financial management of the Embassy, particularly decisions relating to the operation or closure of bank accounts.
Mr. Tonto has consequently urged his family, friends and the general public to disregard what he described as a distorted narrative seeking to falsely associate him with the alleged fraudulent scheme.
He maintained that the US$800 child benefit payment should not be misconstrued as evidence of wrongdoing or complicity in any alleged financial misconduct at the Embassy.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Vincent Kwofie.