By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, June 2 - The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has once again declared Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, who previously served as the Minister for Finance, a wanted individual and a fugitive from justice.
His name has been reinstated on the OSP’s roster of individuals sought.
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, stated during a press conference that his office will undertake all required legal actions to bring Mr. Ofori-Atta back within the jurisdiction and address the criminal charges pending against him.
The individual being sought is required to address allegations related to multiple instances such as the Strategic Mobilisation-GRA Contract, termination of the ECG-BXC agreement, transactions involving the National Cathedral funds, procurement of ambulances, and utilization of the Tax Refund Account.
In a letter dated May 30, 2025, the OSP rejected Mr. Ofori-Atta’s proposal for a video-recorded interview aimed at obtaining his cautioned statement.
He mentioned that the office consistently required his physical presence and made it abundantly clear that they were not inclined to wait.
The Special Prosecutor stated that the OSP interpreted Mr. Ofori-Atta’s attorney's correspondence from May 28, 2025, as indicative of complete dishonesty. This reinforced their longstanding, carefully considered belief and judgment that Mr. Ofori-Atta had no desire to willingly return under the jurisdiction of the OSP or cooperate with them.
“He stated that this office has not been made aware of any reported information he provided to the court, either verbally or through filing procedures, regarding the supposed alteration in circumstances.”
On Monday, June 2, 2025, he mentioned that it had been over three hours since the designated time for Mr. Ofori-Atta’s presence at the OSP, but Mr. Ofori-Atta did not show up.
Mr. Agyebeng stated that Mr. Ofori-Atta's behavior was completely unacceptable and exhibited a harmful animosity towards law enforcement and criminal investigations.
In connection with this, he stated around 30 minutes prior to the briefing, "I initiated procedures for issuing an Interpol red notice aimed at locating and provisionally arresting Mr. Ofori-Atta in whatever country he might be found, until extradition or his formal surrender occurs."
Around the same period, he stated, "I initiated a request for extradition procedures to ensure Mr. Ofori-Atta can be temporarily detained wherever he might be situated or discovered and subsequently extradited to Ghana."
He stated that the OSP would likely seek criminal charges in court against Mr. Ofori-Atta at an appropriate time, regardless of whether he appears in person or not.
He said the principle upon which the office proceeded was that no person, regardless of title, regardless of status, regardless of medical condition, was beyond the reach of enquiry by the OSP.
The Special Prosecutor stated that if they had been willing to accept any such declaration from Mr. Ofori-Atta while he was absent, they would have done so back in February rather than waiting until June 2, 2025.
“He emphasized, ‘We desire his physical presence here and we are adamant about this.’”
He stated that a suspect in a criminal inquiry cannot dictate how the investigative authorities should carry out their investigations, nor can they make inconvenient choices based on what suits them.
He stated that the Office would not condone such behavior, neither in this instance nor in any other case.
He mentioned that the OSP rejected Mr. Ofori-Atta’s offer for them to examine his biopsy report, deeming it an unnecessary action.
Mr. Agyebeng stated that based on general knowledge, a biopsy report merely includes the outcome of removing and analyzing tissue cells or bodily fluids from a living organism, indicating that certain diseases or conditions were evident in the collected specimens.
The biopsy report does not constitute a considered medical opinion stating that the person in question is incapacitated and incapable of traveling, which Mr. Ofori-Atta attempted to imply, he clarified.
He mentioned that from January 24, 2025, until now, Mr. Ofori-Atta has not provided any medical documentation.
He hasn't provided any medical documentation indicating that he posed a travel risk or that his health condition would prevent him from returning to the jurisdiction.
"It has solely been according to his personal account," he stated.
GNA
Christian Akorlie
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