Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has confirmed the arrest of Bright Mensah Bonsu, the man at the centre of an alleged illegal sale of a prime diplomatic property belonging to Ghana’s High Commission in Lagos, Nigeria.
In a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday (15 August), Ablakwa revealed that Bright Mensah Bonsu, who claims to have been a special aide to the late High Commissioner Alhaji Rashid Bawa, was apprehended by Ghanaian security operatives following months of investigations.
According to the Minister, Bonsu received US$1.5 million in cash as a first instalment for the sale of the beachfront property, despite the fact that no such transaction had been approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or any other official state agency.
“The US$1.5 million cash was not paid into government accounts, nor is there any record at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the cash was officially declared,” Ablakwa stated.
Documents uncovered during investigations indicate that Bonsu and his collaborators valued the property at US$5.3 million, with the cash received being the initial payment. Ablakwa suggested that the outcome of the 2024 elections may have disrupted the completion of the shady deal.
The Minister also raised red flags over the issuance of a diplomatic passport to Mensah Bonsu on 18 October 2023, by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, despite him not being an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria.
As Ghana prepares for criminal prosecution, Ablakwa said authorities are keen to understand how Bonsu accessed sensitive property documents and whether he was indeed acting on instructions from higher-ups, as he claims.
“This latest significant development should send clear assurances to Nigerian government officials and the Nigerian attempted buyer… that we take this matter very seriously and will do everything in our power to bring the notorious criminals to justice and recover the US$1.5 million,” he stated.
Ablakwa reiterated the Mahama administration’s firm position against shielding wrongdoers, emphasising that no diplomatic property belonging to Ghana is up for sale.
“We promised that justice will be done; we are keeping our word. Let me state for the umpteenth time, no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana is for sale — severe consequences await anyone who tests our resolve,” he warned.
The government, he added, remains committed to preserving Ghana’s international reputation and strengthening its bilateral ties with Nigeria despite the unfortunate incident.
We got him!
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) April 15, 2025
Bright Mensah Bonsu, the man who received US$1.5million cash and signed documents purporting to sell a prime diplomatic property belonging to Ghana’s High Commission in Nigeria has finally been arrested by Ghanaian security operatives.
Bright Mensah Bonsu describes… pic.twitter.com/hc3tAf5Gn6