A senior executive of Jonah Capital has accused Nigerian authorities of pursuing criminal charges against prominent Ghanaian investors amid ongoing legal proceedings over the disputed River Park Estate, deepening tensions surrounding claims of expropriation of Ghanaian-owned businesses in Nigeria.
Kojo Ansah Mensah said Nigerian police on June 26 charged Sir Sam Jonah, Victor Quainoo and himself with 26 counts of fraud linked to the River Park Estate, despite what he described as unresolved civil and administrative processes. Mensah made the claims during a media discussion on the case, which has drawn diplomatic attention in Accra.
Mensah said the charges followed the work of a 10-month investigative panel whose report, he alleged, has never been formally released to the parties involved. He said the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria requested a certified copy of the report on at least three occasions without success.
“Out of nowhere, on June 26, this appeared on television,” Mensah said, referring to footage of a South African national he identified as Ogu Polo being presented by Nigerian police as the owner of River Park Estate. He claimed police announced they had concluded investigations and filed fraud charges against the Jonah Capital principals.
The move, Mensah said, came as a surprise given that aspects of the dispute were already before the courts. Asked whether the matter remained in litigation, he confirmed that legal challenges were ongoing.
Mensah said he was in the United States when news of the charges broke and immediately returned to Ghana before travelling with Ghanaian government officials to Nigeria. According to him, a meeting was held with Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) on July 2, in the presence of Ghanaian officials, lawyers and senior Nigerian police officers.
He alleged that during the meeting, Nigerian police officers threatened to arrest Sir Sam Jonah, prompting the IGP to intervene and order them to stand down. Mensah said the proceedings were formally recorded and that he presented documents outlining Jonah Capital’s position.
Central to the dispute, Mensah said, is a claim attributed to Sir Sam Jonah that former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo granted land to Jonah Capital. He said Nigerian authorities cited the claim as evidence of fraud and suggested they intended to question Obasanjo, who has reportedly denied personally allocating land.
Mensah argued the allegation was misleading, noting that under Nigerian law, land allocations are made by the relevant minister rather than the president. He described the controversy as “semantics and word play” aimed at undermining Jonah’s credibility.
“They have never contested the fact that Jonah Capital was given land,” Mensah said. “What they are disputing is Sam Jonah’s association with Jonah Capital.”
The case has triggered wider concern in Ghana over the treatment of Ghanaian investments in Nigeria. Sir Sam Jonah, a former chief executive of AngloGold Ashanti, has petitioned Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, citing what he describes as the unlawful seizure of investments and harassment of Ghanaian investors.
Ghanaian officials have not publicly commented on the specific allegations, but the matter is understood to be under diplomatic review as calls grow for stronger protection of Ghanaian businesses operating within the sub-region.