Ghanaian authorities have taken possession of a luxury car allegedly linked to proceeds of crime from popular musician Charles Nii Armah, better known as Shatta Wale, following a request from the US.
The 2019 Lamborghini Urus is allegedly tied to the criminal enterprise of Ghanaian Nana Kwabena Amuah, who is serving a seven-year jail term in the US for fraud. Wale denies knowledge or connection with the jailed Ghanaian, saying he is a “third-party owner” of the car. “I don’t know who shipped [it] to the country,” he said.
Shatta Wale is one of Ghana’s best-known stars and collaborated with Beyoncé on the song Already which featured on her 2019 Lion King album. Wale took to social media to criticise the authorities over the recovery of the bright yellow Lamborghini, questioning why officers stormed his home with guns.
“Bringing guns to my house was uncalled for,” the dancehall artist wrote on his social media page, accusing the agency’s chief executive of humiliating him. Wale said he had bought the car for $150,000 ($113,000) and that he had presented supporting documents to the officers.
The Lamborghini is expected to be returned to the US “as part of [Amuah’s] $4.7m restitution”, Eoco said, adding that the FBI and the US Justice Department intended to formally ask for mutual legal assistance for its return. The agency said the car had been retrieved in a civil manner without any incident.
“It is a standard safety protocol for officers of the surveillance and asset recovery unit to carry weapons whilst on operation for their safety,” Eoco said in a statement. Wale was later allowed to personally surrender the car, which is now in Eoco’s custody.
US court records indicate that Amuah and his co-conspirators had impersonated vendors to defraud nearly 70 public and private organisations across the country.
They tricked entities into wiring money into bank accounts controlled by the group through shell companies. In 2023, Amuah was sentenced to 86 months in prison and the car was reportedly one of the items flagged as part of restitution to victims.
CREDIT: BBC NEWS