There is growing anxiety over whether ex-Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta would return to Ghana between May 14 and May 30, 2025 to show up in person at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) or he would remain outside the country at the risk of being officially declared a fugitive of Justice by June 2.
What is certain beyond doubt is that the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng would stick to his publicly declared intention and caution that if Ken Ofori-Atta’s presence is “mandatorily required” on June 2, 2025 else he shall be immediately re-listed as a wanted person and declared a fugitive from justice.
The OSP has also served notice that there would be an Interpol Red Notice issued on Ofori-Atta and extradition proceedings issued on his person in any jurisdiction where he may be located unless he shows up in person for interrogation.
Ken Ofori-Atta, according to his lawyers, is unwell and has been seeking medical treatment outside the country. He did not honour an earlier invitation by the OSP and was therefore declared as a wanted person.
Acting through his lawyers, Ofori-Atta officially wrote to the OSP and promised to be in Ghana between May 14 and May 30. Based on that agreement, his name was removed from the list of wanted persons.
According to the OSP, Ken Ofori-Atta is needed to answer questions in ongoing investigations into the Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited & GRA Contract, the ECG and Beijing Technology Limited Contract Termination, the National Cathedral Project, the GRA’s Tax Refund Account Payments and issues related to the procurement of state ambulances.
The letter from Ken Ofori-Atta’s lawyers, read by the Minority leader Osahen Afenyo-Markin in February in Parliament noted:
“We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 17, 2025, we respectfully indicate that our client who is much due for his return cannot be any time before six to eight weeks of his possible surgical intervention as stated in the hospital’s letter.
“Our clients hold that taking into account surgical dates from March 20 to 21, and his recuperation period he should be able to be back into the jurisdiction between May 14 and 30, 2025. We hope you take note of this date and same can guide your office in fixing a day for the in-person of our client to your office,” he stated.
Commenting on the development when it became a heated topic in February, the Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency and Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, said even if the unwell former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta dies in his quest to seek medical attention in the United States, the corpse would be arrested and flown to Ghana to face prosecution.
“Ken Ofori-Atta can die there; his dead body will be arrested and prosecuted to the justice of the people of Ghana” Gbande noted in response to comments that the raid of the private residence of Ken Ofori-Atta by armed National Security operatives at a time he was out of town to seek medical attention was uncalled for.
The Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency justified the armed invasion and said it was in the interest of the State.
“As for arresting them the game is yet to begin; they should sit and tighten their belts it would be hot, it would be strict, it would be n the interest of the people of Ghana”, Gbande noted in an interview with GHOne Television.
“When you go to National Security all the officers there are either police officers or military officers and so if for any reason, National Security or any unit of it embarks on an operation with military officers and no one has been harmed, no one has been beaten, they’ve not taken anything, what is the hue about it?”, Mustapha Gbande noted.
He continued: “We all do know that Ken Ofori-Atta is not just a fugitive; he is also a very wicked fellow who have collapsed people’s banks. In the back of it, used his own company to profit in State transactions. We all know that he supervised colossal dissipation of the public purse. We know that. Is it strange?
“So if institutions are embarking on several investigations, the NPP who is the biggest victim of the scandalous governance of President Akufo-Addo is now being paid as rented individuals to do PR; it is unfortunate, it is condemnable, and it would not stand. Ken Ofori-Atta can die there; his dead body will be arrested and prosecuted to the justice of the people of Ghana”, Gbande added.
