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