Famous Ghanaian dancehall artiste, Charles Nii Armah Mensah, widely known as Shatta Wale, has been granted bail after facing hours of questioning by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over a seized Lamborghini tied to an international fraud case.
EOCO on Thursday, August 21, announced in a statement that the musician was granted bail of GH₵10 million with two sureties to be justified. “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,” EOCO confirmed in its statement.
Investigators explained that Wale was invited as part of a joint probe with U.S. authorities into a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, which American prosecutors say was purchased with funds from a $4 million fraud scheme involving Ghanaian national Nana Kwabena Amuah. Amuah is currently serving a sentence in the United States, and in May, the luxury vehicle was seized from Wale’s possession.
On August 15, a U.S. District Court in Kentucky authorised federal officials to formally confiscate the Lamborghini as restitution for the crime.
EOCO noted that although the musician has publicly claimed he bought the car for $150,000, he has been unable to provide proof of purchase. According to investigators, “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 only document Wale has presented, officials added, is a customs declaration form in the name of Amuah, directly linking the car to the U.S. case.
EOCO further detailed the day of questioning, revealing that the artiste showed up late for his scheduled August 20 appearance and only began cooperating when his lawyer, Cephas Biyuo, arrived at 5 pm. The interrogation continued until 9 pm, when bail was approved. “Officers eventually left the Office around 11pm,” they stated.
Officials stressed that once the sureties are inspected, Shatta Wale will be released from custody while the investigation proceeds.
Read EOCO’s statement below.
