Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office has granted dancehall artiste, Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, bail in the sum of GH¢10 million with two sureties to be justified.
The “On God,” crooner told EOCO that he bought his Lamborghini from the ‘street’ and not with fraudulent money.
According to a statement by EOCO on Thursday, the singer remains in custody until the sureties provide properties that can be verified to match the bail conditions.
Shatta Wale was invited to the agency’s office on Wednesday to assist in investigations into the purchase of a Lamborghini Urus, which has been linked to proceeds of a $4 million crime involving Nana Kwabena Amuah, a Ghanaian currently serving a jail term in the United States.
EOCO disclosed that, after nearly four hours of questioning, the artiste could not identify who sold him the vehicle, only claiming that he got it from the “street.”
The statement read, “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 purchased 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 has thrown away,”
The agency also stated that the artiste could not produce any receipts or transfer documents to prove ownership, aside from a Customs declaration form bearing Amuah’s name.
Earlier in June, EOCO, working with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Justice Department, carried out a search at Shatta Wale’s Trassaco Valley home in Accra.
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The operation, conducted by EOCO’s Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit, led to the seizure of a 2019 Lamborghini Urus allegedly tied to the criminal proceeds of Amuah, who is currently serving an 86-month jail term in the US.
The agency explained that the seizure followed a request from US authorities in 2023 under a mutual legal assistance framework.
EOCO noted that although the officers were armed, the exercise was peaceful.
Shatta Wale was allowed to surrender the luxury car himself after appealing that its public confiscation would harm his image as the vehicle was central to his brand.
US investigators are pushing for the repatriation of the seized vehicle as part of Amuah’s restitution of nearly $4.7m.
EOCO further disclosed that both Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of Ghana’s National Signal Bureau are considered persons of interest and could face further questioning as the probe continues.