Former Ghanaian Finance Minister wanted: This action is a major step up in the continuing probe into the former minister’s numerous corruption claims.
Due to his repeated refusals to comply with summonses for questioning, Ken Ofori-Atta was first listed by the OSP as a “fugitive from justice” in February 2025.
On 18 February 2025, however, his name was taken off the wanted list after his legal team gave a particular date—2 June 2025—for his voluntary return and appearance before the OSP.
Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, had threatened to immediately reinstall him on the wanted list and issue an INTERPOL Red Notice to obtain his international arrest and extradition if he did not fulfill this vow.
Ofori-Atta had yet to appear before the OSP as of late Monday, June 2. The former minister was unable to present because of a “unexpected deterioration in his health condition,” according to sources close to his legal team, including attorney Frank Davies.
Under the Electronic Transactions Act, his attorneys suggested a virtual interview and sent medical results to the Human Rights Court and the OSP. But the OSP has continuously denied such medical justifications, requiring his actual presence in order to conduct an efficient inquiry.
Ofori-Atta is accused of involvement in contracts with Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML) for revenue assurance, problems with the National Cathedral project, and other financial transactions. These accusations are related to his time as Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024.
The OSP emphasized that a suspect’s physical participation during criminal investigations cannot be replaced by legal representation. Now that he has re-declared, Ofori-Atta is subject to the full scope of the OSP’s mandate, which includes attempts to achieve his repatriation through all legal means. He might be detained in any of the 196 INTERPOL member nations under the threat of an INTERPOL Red Notice, which would significantly restrict his ability to travel abroad.
Complicating matters further, Ofori-Atta is also facing a lawsuit in the Human Rights Court contesting the OSP’s initial wanted declaration, claiming it was illegal, and demanding that relevant content be taken down from OSP’s social media accounts. On June 18, 2025, the court is expected to decide on this case.
