Ghana prosecutor put ex-finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta for INTERPOL red notice ova corruption investigation

Ghana Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng don redeclare ex-finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta as wanted pesin afta im fail to show up physically ova corruption investigations di prosecutor office bin dey do about im tenure as finance minister.

Dem also trigger process to put am on top Interpol red notice say make dem find am for any kontri im dey and return am to Ghana to face justice.

Di ex-finance minister suppose show up for prosecutor office on 2 June 2025, afta im fail to show up since February 2025, wen di prosecutor invite am to answer questions about five contracts during im time as minister from 2017 – 2023.

Days bifor di deadline, lawyers for di ex-finance minister write to di OSP say dia client bin dey sick wia im still dey undergo treatment for di US, so im go fit do video conference to answer questions from di OSP.

But di prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng for one press conference tok say im office don reject di request for video conference as dem need im physical presence.

"We don conclude say since February, Ken Ofori-Atta no wan show up for di kontri and honour di invitation of di prosecutors, wia im no show any evidence and medical report wey tok say im dey sick to di extent say im no fit travel."

Im add say di only tin lawyers for di former finance minister bin dey tok since na say im go dey unavailable indefinitely, wey be unacceptable.

"Di lawyers don tok inside dia last letter to di OSP say di former minister get cancer wia im dey prepare for surgery, but dem no present any medical report wey dey cover dis tin dem dey tok," Oga Kissi Agyebeng explain for di press conference.

Im conclude say di former finance minister simply wan tok di OSP how dem for do dia work, na so dem no go gree sake of dis na criminal mata.

Di OSP bin declare di ex-finance minister wanted on 12 February afta im fail to report to Ghana to face investigations.

But on 17 February, di prosecutor remove am from di wanted list, afta im lawyers bin write to di prosecutor office, wey dem tok say im go dey available in May to meet di prosecution.

But as of 2 June, im still no show body for di kontri, na so di special prosecutor announce say im carry am put di wanted list again.

"Di conduct of di ex-finance minister dey unacceptable. Dis kind tin go end here. We want make im show up physically, wey we don dey insist on dat."

Kissi Agyebeng add say "suspect for criminal mata no fit pick and choose how make di investigative agency do dia work."

"We no go accept dis kind tin. Wetin di former finance minister and im lawyers dey do na bad faith."

"Di OSP go take all necessary steps to ensure say im return to di kontri to answer questions for dis criminal investigation."

Di special prosecutor add say "I don trigger process say make dem issue Interpol red notice for di location and arrest of Ken Ofori-Atta. I also request extradition process say make dem pursue di former finance minister for any kontri wia dem go find am and return am to Ghana."

Im also tok say im office go charge di former finance minister in absentia and carry di mata go court for trial afta dia investigations.

Di former finance minister request to do video conference wit di prosecutor

For March dis year, di ex-finance minister bin file law suit against di office of di special prosecutor wey im dey ask for compensation for wetin im describe as "unlawful declaration as wanted".

Im also ask di court to cause di office of di prosecutor to remove all di oda content about im wanted declaration from dia social media platforms.

On 28 March, di human rights court hear di interim application from di ex -finance minister.

But fresh tori wey comot bifor 2 June na say di ex-finance minister still no go dey available to meet di prosecutor.

Local media report say lawyers for di ex-finance minister don file medical reports for di 66-year-old as part of dia case for di human rights court.

"Im lawyers bin formally tok di latest development about im health to di office of special prosecutor and di court, wey dem also tok di various medical procedures im gatz to undergo," citinewsroom don report.

Di ex-finance minister im camp don say im "offer to participate for di special prosecutor im investigations virtually, sake of im still no dey well," citinewsroom add.

One of di lawyers for di ex-finance minister, oga Frank Davies don tok say im dey surprised how di public no dey believe say Ken Ofori-Atta dey sick, wia im dey undergo treatment for di US.

"If I tok say I go come see you tomorrow wia I bin suffer casualty di night bifor, you go still see me? why dis tin dey difficult for pipo to understand say di pesin wey dey involve for dis mata dey sick?," oga Davies tok local network Joy FM.

"Im health mata dey known even bifor dem begin to prepare di charges against am, who for dis kontri no sabi say Ken Ofori-Atta bin dey sick");