Breaking: Ken Ofori-Atta no longer listed as a fugitive

Former Finance Minister,  Ken Ofori Atta is no longer listed as a fugitive. 

 On February 12, 2025, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng declared Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, former

Minister of Finance, a wanted person and a fugitive from justice.

This declaration was made on the ground that he had failed to indicate a reasonable time of his return to the jurisdiction although he had been informed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) that he was a suspect in various suspected corruption and corruption-related cases and he had been directed to physically encounter  the OSP in Accra on a specified date and at a specified time for interviewing.

Against this backdrop,  on February 18, 2025, Mr. Ofori-Atta transmitted a communication through his lawyers to the OSP by which he stated a definite date of his voluntary return to the jurisdiction.

 This marks a major shift from Mr. Ofori-Atta’s previous intention of remaining outside the jurisdiction indefinitely.

Subsequently, on February 18, 2025, the OSP acceded to Mr. Ofori-Atta’s request as it deemed his stated date of voluntary return to the jurisdiction reasonable in the circumstances. 

Additionally,  on February 18, 2025, the Special Prosecutor rescheduled the date of Mr. Ofori-Atta’s attendance at the OSP taking into account Mr. Ofori-Atta’s stated date of voluntary return to the jurisdiction.

Consequently, Mr. Ofori-Atta has been removed from the OSP’s list of wanted persons and the OSP ceases to consider Mr. Ofori-Atta a fugitive from justice pending his voluntary return to the jurisdiction cicra his stated date.

The OSP noted that, “If Mr. Ofori-Atta fails to voluntarily return to the jurisdiction circa this stated date, and if Mr. Ofori-Atta fails to attend the OSP on the rescheduled date, he shall be re-entered on the OSP’s list of wanted persons and the OSP shall then consider him fugitive from justice, and the OSP shall take all necessary legal steps to secure his return to the jurisdiction and attendance at the OSP at our own choosing.”

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme