By Daniel Bampoe
Award-winning Ghanaian dancehall artist Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, has fired back at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following the seizure of his 2019 Lamborghini Urus in connection with an international financial crimes investigation.
In a Facebook Live session on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, the musician accused EOCO of subjecting him to unnecessary pressure, damaging his brand, and linking him to allegations he insists are baseless.
According to Shatta Wale, officers from EOCO’s Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) arrived at his residence in the plush Trassaco Valley Phase 1 estate claiming they had a warrant to question him over the luxury vehicle.
The Operation
EOCO confirmed in a press release that the operation was conducted in June this year in response to a 2023 request from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice.
The agencies had allegedly traced the Lamborghini to the proceeds of a criminal enterprise by one Nana Kwabena Amuah, who is currently serving an 86-month sentence in the United States for multiple financial crimes.
The Ghanaian investigative body said the search and seizure were conducted “professionally and civilly” without incident, and that officers were armed in line with standard operational safety protocols.
EOCO stated that Shatta Wale was cooperative and requested to surrender the vehicle himself to avoid the public spectacle of officers driving it away — a request EOCO granted.
Shatta Wale’s Side of the Story
In his live broadcast, Shatta Wale described the visit as uncalled for and disruptive, alleging that one officer had made veiled threats.
He claimed EOCO informed him the visit was prompted by allegations from an individual he identified only as “Adu Boahen,” who purportedly claimed to have given him a fleet of luxury cars, including the Lamborghini Urus, a Rolls-Royce, and a Land Cruiser.
The artist said all his vehicles were legally acquired and supported by proper documentation, which he offered to show EOCO officers on the spot.
“I am a musician. I don’t do security work. I don’t do business with Adu Boahen. I have nothing to do with him,” Shatta Wale stressed.
He added that despite showing proof of ownership, EOCO insisted on taking the Lamborghini as part of their investigation.
While he eventually agreed to bring the car to EOCO the next day out of “respect,” he said the manner of the operation embarrassed him and risked tarnishing his public image.
International Implications
EOCO disclosed that the US authorities are expected to send a formal Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) request to Ghana to repatriate the Lamborghini as part of efforts to recover $4,743,443 in restitution from Amuah.
Shatta Wale, along with a former senior officer of the National Signals Bureau, Kwabena Adu-Boahene has been listed as a “person of interest” and will be invited to assist in ongoing investigations.
EOCO indicated that the final investigative report may be shared with the FBI and the US Justice Department as part of the cooperation with international law enforcement partners.
The Bigger Picture
This latest development comes amid increased collaboration between Ghanaian and US law enforcement agencies to track and recover illicit assets linked to transnational financial crimes.
For now, Shatta Wale maintains his innocence, vowing to clear his name and warning against what he calls a “propaganda game” being played through certain media outlets.
“I have done nothing wrong. My brand is my life, and I will protect it,” he declared.
