The family of embattled former Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta has issued a blistering public statement, accusing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) of procedural misconduct, human rights violations, and abuse of administrative authority. The statement comes in response to renewed actions by the OSP, including the re-publication of a “Wanted” notice for Mr. Ofori-Atta on June 2, despite ongoing court proceedings and his known medical condition.
The family’s 4-page press release, signed and dated June 9, details a timeline of events and argues that the OSP’s handling of the matter reflects a “vendetta” against the former minister, rather than an impartial investigation.
“Mr. Ofori-Atta does not run from justice but always meets justice and successfully defends himself,” the statement declares, referencing past investigations by CHRAJ, Parliament, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice in which Ofori-Atta was either cleared or not found culpable.
At the heart of the dispute is an arrest warrant dated February 11, 2025, obtained under unclear circumstances, and a subsequent INTERPOL Red Notice for Ofori-Atta’s arrest. The family contends that no formal charges have been filed beyond a vague reference to “Using public office for private profit.” They allege that court records do not reflect the standard filing procedures, such as an affidavit to support the arrest warrant application.
The family has formally applied to both the National Central Bureau and INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files to remove the Red Notice, citing the lack of due process and ongoing litigation in Ghana’s Human Rights Court. A ruling on that case is scheduled for June 18.
According to the family, Ofori-Atta is undergoing treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for cancer discovered during a biopsy on March 21. He is scheduled for surgery on June 13. Medical documents were allegedly shared with the OSP, yet the office refused Ofori-Atta’s request for a video-recorded interview, citing the necessity of personal attendance.
“This Office has always insisted on your personal attendance,” the OSP reportedly wrote in a letter dated May 30 but delivered on June 2, just hours before its third media briefing where the Special Prosecutor again declared Ofori-Atta a fugitive.
The family argues that this refusal, even after a confirmed cancer diagnosis, demonstrates a lack of fairness and breaches the Constitution’s provisions on administrative justice.
“The reposting of the Wanted Poster was a premeditated theatrical stunt — a public lynching,” the statement reads.
As questions grow about whether INTERPOL was fully informed of the pending legal and medical developments, the family is seeking clarity from the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files. They maintain that Ofori-Atta has consistently shown willingness to cooperate — offering written responses and virtual interviews — but that the OSP has chosen to focus on spectacle over substance.
The family said that “once Mr. Ofori-Atta’s surgical procedure is over and the necessary treatment and recuperation has taken place, he will return to Ghana at the appropriate time and meet with the OSP in-person.”
