A company owned by a former Information Technology officer at Ghana’s Embassy in the United States received payments totalling nearly $296,000 for renovation and furnishing works at the ambassador’s residence, according to a forensic audit report that has exposed serious conflicts of interest and procurement irregularities within the mission .
The Payments Under Scrutiny
The company, Stefrann LLC, owned by Fred Kwarteng, received two payments from the embassy: $159,043.84 in February 2019 and $136,864 in June 2020 . At the time of these transactions, Kwarteng was serving as the embassy’s ICT officer, a role he held from November 2016 until his dismissal in May 2025 .
The then Chief Treasury Officer, Janet Maku Koranteng, confirmed to auditors that Kwarteng owned the company . The payments were flagged as a potential conflict of interest because Kwarteng was an employee of the embassy at the time the transactions were processed .
Citibank Raised Red Flags
The embassy’s banker in the United States, Citibank, raised serious concerns about the transactions, citing “questionable invoices, inconsistencies in company details, and the conflict of interest arising from a staff member being the beneficiary of Embassy payments” .
A bank official, Jay Varkey, requested supporting documentation before the transactions were processed, including:
· A copy of the US State Department’s approval for the renovation work
· Details of the scope of work and budget
· Information on the contractors and vendors involved
· Evidence of internal approvals
Varkey also questioned a payment made to Stefrann LLC after the cheque memo described it as “payment of furniture for residency,” seeking clarification on whether the furniture had been purchased through Stefrann LLC or Persiano Furniture Gallery, and whether the payment was made directly or through the LLC .
Despite these concerns, the embassy proceeded with the payments .
Legal Violations Identified
The auditors concluded that the transactions did not meet the requirements of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), which requires public officials responsible for state resources to ensure that public funds are protected and financial transactions are properly authorised and documented .
The report also cited the Foreign Service Regulations, 2019, which prohibit officials serving at Ghanaian diplomatic missions from engaging in transactions that create conflicts of interest .
The auditors conducted checks on the company and identified another discrepancy: they found companies registered as STEFRAN LLC, but not STEFRANN LLC, the name under which the embassy made the payments .
A Pattern of Concerns
This is not the only issue involving Kwarteng. The forensic audit, which examined the operations of the embassy between January 2017 and June 2025, linked Kwarteng to an alleged scheme that generated nearly $19 million through unauthorized fees charged to visa and passport applicants over six years .
The Auditor-General estimated that irregular dispatch, mailing and application support services generated transactions worth $21.34 million between 2019 and 2025. After accounting for actual postage costs of about $2.36 million, auditors calculated an estimated gain of $18.98 million linked to the activities under investigation .
Auditors found that applicants seeking visas and passports were redirected from the embassy’s official website to external platforms, including GhanaPV.org and TravelGhana.net, where they were charged additional fees for mailing and application support services . During the audit, investigators also discovered 15 passport booklets in Kwarteng’s office, including four blank biometric passport booklets and several visa stickers, found outside the embassy’s authorized consular storage system .
Embassy Closure and Government Response
The revelations led to the temporary closure of the Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C., in May 2025 . Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced the closure, describing it as a necessary step to restore integrity and accountability in Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad .
“This is part of a decisive effort to restructure and overhaul embassy operations following shocking audit findings. With the support of President Mahama, we are taking bold action to fight corruption and rebuild trust,” Ablakwa said at the time .
Kwarteng was dismissed with immediate effect, and all local staff at the embassy were suspended . The ministry also recalled all foreign affairs ministry staff posted to Washington and dissolved the embassy’s IT department . An IT team was deployed to reconfigure the website and payment platforms to remove all unofficial and unauthorized links .
Recommendations
The Auditor-General has recommended the recovery of the amount from the key actors involved in the transaction . The audit also recommended stronger due diligence on vendors, particularly for high-value contracts, including verification of ownership and beneficial ownership, as well as checks for sanctions and politically exposed persons .
The case has been referred to Ghana’s Attorney-General for possible prosecution and recovery of misused public funds . The broader investigation estimated total irregularities at the embassy at $19.38 million .
