EOCO Grants Shatta Wale GH₵10m Bail in Lamborghini Fraud Probe
By: Solomon Nartey Tetteh
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has granted dancehall artiste Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, bail of GH₵10 million with two sureties to be justified in connection with investigations into a luxury vehicle linked to an international fraud case.
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 21, EOCO confirmed that the musician was invited to assist with ongoing investigations into a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, which American authorities have identified as proceeds of a $4 million fraud scheme involving Ghanaian national Nana Kwabena Amuah, currently serving a jail term in the United States.
“Mr. Nii Armah was granted bail around 9 pm shortly after interrogation ended. He was granted bail of GH₵10,000,000 with two sureties to be justified,” the statement said, adding that the artiste will be released once the sureties are presented and verified.
The probe follows a formal request from the FBI and the US Department of Justice for EOCO to trace the luxury car and identify possible co-conspirators in Ghana.
The Lamborghini, which was in Shatta Wale’s possession, was seized in May this year. On August 15, a United States District Court in Kentucky issued an order authorising the US Government to take ownership of the vehicle as restitution for the crime.
EOCO noted that Shatta Wale had publicly claimed to have purchased the car for $150,000, but has so far been unable to substantiate the claim.
“So far, Charles Nii Armah Mensah has been unable to identify the person from whom he purchased the said Lamborghini Urus vehicle, except to say that he bought it from the ‘Street’ and from someone possibly called ‘ZAK,’ who may have contacted him on WhatsApp but whose identity he does not know and whose contact he no longer has,” EOCO revealed.
The only documentation the musician has provided is a customs declaration form bearing the name of Nana Kwabena Amuah, the convicted Ghanaian directly linked to the US fraud case.
EOCO also disclosed that Shatta Wale arrived late for his scheduled interrogation on August 20 and only began cooperating after his lawyer arrived at 5 pm. Questioning lasted until 9 pm, after which bail was granted.
“Officers eventually left the Office around 11 pm,” the statement noted.
