Bright Mensah Bonsu, a man accused of orchestrating the fraudulent sale of a diplomatic property belonging to Ghana’s High Commission in Nigeria, has been arrested by Ghanaian security operatives.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the arrest on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, revealing damning details about the alleged scheme involving one of Ghana’s prized diplomatic assets in Lagos.
According to the Minister, Mensah Bonsu, who claimed to be a special aide to the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Ghana’s former High Commissioner to Nigeria, received a cash payment of US$1.5 million in a dubious deal to sell the beachfront property. The payment, Ablakwa emphasized, was never declared to the Ministry nor paid into any official government account.
“It is important to emphasise that the US$1.5 million cash was not paid into government accounts, neither is there any record at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the cash was officially declared,” the Minister said in a statement shared on social media.
Documents uncovered during investigations show that Bonsu and his alleged collaborators valued the property at US$5.3 million and regarded the US$1.5 million as the first instalment in a staged sale. Ablakwa suggested that the plan may have been disrupted by the results of the 2024 general elections.
Further compounding the controversy, Bonsu is also under investigation for being issued a diplomatic passport on October 18, 2023. Authorities say he held no official post within the Ministry or the High Commission, even though he was often seen accompanying the former High Commissioner.
“Bright Mensah Bonsu was not a staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria,” Ablakwa stated. “Yet, he had access to classified documents and acted as though he had full authority.”
The Minister, who also serves as Member of Parliament for North Tongu, questioned Bonsu’s claims that he acted on the instructions of unnamed superiors, stating that the legal process would expose the truth behind the alleged conspiracy.
As the case heads to criminal prosecution, the Ghanaian government has pledged to ensure full accountability. Ablakwa reaffirmed the Mahama administration’s commitment to justice, stating, “The Government of Ghana will not shield anyone involved in this grand conspiracy. This is not just a crime — it is an attempt to tarnish Ghana’s international image.”
He added: “Let me state for the umpteenth time: no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana is for sale. Severe consequences await anyone who dares to test our resolve.”
Meanwhile, officials have also assured that Ghana remains committed to maintaining strong diplomatic relations with Nigeria, stressing that this incident will not derail the long-standing bilateral partnership.
Below is the full statement:
https://x.com/S_OkudzetoAblak/status/1912166438992818631
