News
Kofi Tonto denies involvement in alleged Washington Embassy fraud scheme
Former Head of Information and Public Affairs at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, Kofi Tonto, has denied claims linking him to an alleged fraudulent scheme said to have occurred at the embassy.
In a statement issued in Accra on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, Mr. Tonto rejected reports that he received US$800 from an alleged US$19 million fraud uncovered through a forensic audit conducted by the Ghana Audit Service.
According to him, he has never been involved in any fraudulent scheme, the sharing of illicit funds, or the receipt of ill-gotten money.
He stated that the audit report covering the period from 2017 to 2025 does not name him as a person of interest for investigation.
Mr. Tonto explained that the US$800 payment he received in July 2021 was a lawful child benefit package following the birth of his daughter in January 2021.
He noted that the payment was made under an existing practice at the embassy and that other staff members had also received similar benefits for various life events.
He argued that the one-time payment could not reasonably be used to suggest that he was complicit in the alleged fraud.
The former embassy official further stated that all compensations, allowances, benefits and refunds he received during his tenure between March 2019 and July 2021 were paid to him in good faith as an employee and in accordance with established procedures.
He maintained that he was never involved in decisions relating to the financial management of the embassy, including matters concerning the operation or closure of bank accounts.
Mr. Tonto urged his family, friends, admirers and the general public to disregard what he described as distorted narratives intended to falsely associate him with wrongdoing in the matter.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Management and staff of Owass FM have announced the passing of media personality, comedian and politician Seth Kwame Dzokoto following a medical emergency during a live morning show discussion at the station earlier today.
According to the station, Dzokoto was participating in a panel discussion on its morning show “Oman Nkoso” when he suddenly took ill and collapsed.
A statement from the station said its team immediately rushed him to the hospital for medical attention, but he was pronounced dead by the attending medical doctor upon arrival.
“We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident, which occurred in the course of our regular programming. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved ones, colleagues, and all those who have been affected by his passing,” the statement said.
Management acknowledged that information about the incident is already circulating in the public domain, but appealed to the public and colleague media houses to respect the privacy of the bereaved family and refrain from circulating unverified information or speculation regarding the circumstances of his death.
Owass FM extended its heartfelt condolences to the family of Seth Kwame Dzokoto.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The State through the Attorney General (AG) has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the suspension of the trial in the case of The Republic v Hanan Aludiba and Faiza Seidu.
On Monday, the Court of Appeal suspended the trial in the case. But the prosecution says it has filed an appeal against the suspension order.
According to the update, the law does not allow a criminal trial to be suspended simply because an accused person has complained about some of the charges on the charge sheet, particularly when those complaints were dismissed as meritless.
It argues that if the Court of Appeal’s decision is allowed to stand, no prosecution will ever be possible, since all it would take for a trial to be suspended is an accused person complaining about anything on the charge sheet.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
