OSP pushes for Interpol arrest warrant as Ken Ofori-Atta defies criminal probe summons
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has escalated its pursuit of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, officially re-declaring him wanted and initiating the process to issue an Interpol red notice for his arrest.
This dramatic development was announced during a Monday evening press briefing by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, who expressed frustration over what he described as Mr. Ofori-Atta’s persistent failure to cooperate with ongoing criminal investigations.
“This office has always requested his attendance, and we have indicated clearly to him that we are unwilling to waive it,” Agyebeng said. “If we were amenable to taking any statement from Ken Ofori-Atta in absentia, we would have done so in February, and not waited till June 2, 2025.”
The Special Prosecutor was firm that personal convenience cannot dictate the course of criminal investigations. “We want him here physically, and we insist on it. A suspect in a criminal investigation does not pick and choose how the investigative body conducts its investigations and the methods suitable to him and his convenience. We will not countenance this conduct, not in this case,” he added.
Earlier that same day, Frank Davies, one of Mr. Ofori-Atta’s lawyers, reportedly disclosed that his client had proposed a virtual meeting with the OSP, citing medical issues that allegedly prevent him from returning to Ghana at this time.
Despite this appeal, the OSP appears to have lost patience with the former minister’s attempts to delay proceedings. With international arrest protocols now in motion, Ofori-Atta could soon face extradition if the red notice is approved.
The case continues to raise serious questions about accountability and the lengths to which Ghana’s legal institutions are prepared to go to enforce compliance in high-profile corruption investigations.
