The High Court in Accra has granted bail to Bright Mensah Bonsu, accused of receiving $1.5M for the purported sale of a prime diplomatic property in Nigeria.
The Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh granted him bail in the sum of GHc3 million, with two sureties to be justified.
The court specified that the sureties should be public servants earning a gross salary of at least GHc6,000.
The Lands Commission is tasked with evaluating the properties or documents presented for bail.
Additionally, the court directed Bonsu to report to the case investigator every two weeks until the final determination of the case.
Bonsu faces charges including stealing, defrauding by false pretenses, uttering forged documents, and unauthorized grant of land.
He was arrested by Ghanaian security operatives after Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced his arrest on April 15.
Bonsu claims to be a special aide to the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa, former Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, appointed by President Akufo-Addo.
Motion for bail
On Monday, April 28, 2025 his lawyers led by Andrew Kudzo Vortia while moving his application for bail said accused person denies the allegations against him.
Counsel while setting the records straight argued that his client was an aide to the former High Commissioner to Nigeria Ambassador Rashad Bawa (deceased).
It was the case of Counsel on July 7, 2023 in his hotel room Safrom Hotel, Ikeja – Lagos, on the 5th floor, the High Commissioner to Nigeria received the purported cash of US$1.5 million from Mr. Jibril A. Tinubu.
Counsel the amount according to the High Commissioner was not a part payment for purchase of the High Commission property at Ikoji.
“…the payment was part of an understanding and arrangement reached between the High Commissioner to Nigeria and the said Mr. Tinubu,” and that “Mr. Tinubu was to pay a total of Ten Million United States Dollars ($10 million) per the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) draft agreed upon by the High Commissioner and Mr. Tinubu into a designate Government of Ghana Account or its equivalent in Naira,” Counsel submitted.
Mr. Vortia argued that, a forex and central Bank of Nigeria exchange rate sky rocketed that made the transaction to be at stand still because Mr. Tinubu wanted to pay the rate at the time of the SPA and not the current sky rocketed rate.
“That this issues were never resolved until the untimely death of the High Commission in March 2024.
“That the accused has never received any $1.5 million or attempted to sell off Ghana’s property as being accused.
“That the Accused / Applicant was just an aide to the High Commissioner and was lawfully issued with a Diplomatic status.
“That I am informed and verily believe so to be true that the personal assistant to the said Mr. Tinubu, who delivered the money to the late High Commissioner and subsequently gave the accused lift to accused to his hotel, several kilometers away is still alive to testify to this transaction,” Counsel said.
Bail
The Accused, a businessman and an information technology consultant according to his counsel is gainfully employed on the Oil and Gas Industry.
Counsel said his client has a fixed place of abode at Adjiringhanor as well as persons who are gainfully employed to serve as sureties for him.
The applicant, counsel said is ready to avail himself to stand trial to prove his innocence when the Court exercise its discretion and grants him bail.
Counsel said, already his client has surrendered his passport and the diplomatic passport to the officials at National Intelligence Bureau and prayed for his client to be admitted to bail.
Opposition
The Republic while opposing to the application for bail pending trial, argued that the accused /applicant will not avail himself to stand trial should he be granted bail.
The Prosecution also said, the accused person claims to be an aide to the former and late High Commissioner of Ghana to Nigeria, H.E. Alhaji Rashid Bawa, who served in his position from June 2017 to March 2024.
It was the case of the Prosecution that, subsequent to the demise of H.E. Alhaji Rashid Bawa, the Commission received a petition from one Jibril A. Tinubu, a Nigerian Businessman, against the applicant, Bright Mensah Bonsu.
“That the petition indicated that the applicant and others conspired and falsely represented that they had the authority to, and that they would, sell Ghana’s High Commission Residence/Property at No. 12 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos – Nigeria to Jibril Tinubu,” it explained.
“That Jibril Tinibu’s petition was forwarded to the NIB, which led to the pending investigation and arrest of the applicant.
“That investigations revealed that the applicant collected about US$1,500,000 from Jibril Tinibu as consideration for selling the property to him and thereafter issued a receipt of payment.
“That the applicant also gave Jibril Tinibu a suspectedly falsified title deed over the Property,” the Prosecution argued.
No authorization
It was the case of the Prosecution that checks from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have revealed that the applicant had no authorization to sell or represent Ghana in a sale of its diplomatic property to a private Nigerian citizen.
It said, based on the evidence gathered thus far, the applicant was arrested and arraigned on provisional charges namely; Stealing contrary to section 124 of Act 29, Defrauding by False Pretence contrary to section 131 of Act 29, Uttering Forged Document contrary section 169 of Act 29, and Unauthorized Grant of Land contrary to section 277(2)(b) of Act 1036.
It is the case of the prosecution that, upon the arraignment of the applicant on April 17, 2025, the Court rightly granted the Republic’s prayer for the applicant to be remanded pending the conclusion of investigations by the NIB.
“…The applicant is being investigated for the additional offences of Corruption of Public Officer contrary to section 239 of Act 29 and Money Laundering contrary to section 2 of Act 1044.
“…The NIB has obtained an order from the Circuit Court to retain, search and retrieve evidence from digital devices linking the applicant to the offences he has been charged with,” the Prosecution stated.
It said, further financial forensic investigation is being carried out by the NIB and it is also pursuing investigative assistance from its Nigerian counter-parts under the Mutual Legal Assistance Act, 2010 (Act 804).
The Prosecution argued that, the NIB is at the tail end of investigations and should the applicant be granted bail now, he is likely to comprise investigations.
Sufficient evidence
It is the case of the Prosecution that, there is sufficient evidence linking the applicant to the offense he is being investigated for and that given the nature of the accusation against the applicant, the evidence gathered thus far, and the severity of punishment upon conviction, the applicant is unlikely to avail himself to stand trial.
The Prosecution argued that, the NIB commenced a search for applicant way back in November 2024 but could not locate him in the jurisdiction until he resurfaced in April 2025.
“…Investigations have revealed that the applicant is not ordinarily resident in Ghana but he frequents Nigeria, other African States, and the Middle East Region.
…The applicant has failed to demonstrate to the court the nature of any legitimate business he runs in Ghana effectively tying him to the jurisdiction.
It was the case of the Prosecution that, the applicant has also failed to demonstrate to the Court that he has credible and competent persons to stand surety for him should he be granted bail.
The Prosecution prayed the Court to dismiss the applicant’s application for bail pending trial lacks merit.
