ACCRA, Ghana — Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been placed on Interpol’s red notice list, facing allegations of utilizing public office for personal gain.
This development follows his declaration as a wanted person and a fugitive from justice by Ghanaian prosecutors, as he was outside the country amidst accusations of involvement in several corruption cases during his tenure in government.
A red notice, distinct from an arrest warrant, serves as a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition.
Ofori-Atta, reportedly abroad for medical treatment, has not directly commented on the allegations but has previously asserted that he has been subjected to unlawful treatment.
Frank Davies, a member of Ofori-Atta’s legal team, was quoted by AFP criticizing the prosecutor’s approach.
“We submitted medical records in good faith, and the office has chosen to ignore them,” Mr. Davies told AFP, adding, “The special prosecutor is not being sensitive to the issues at hand, especially knowing that Mr Ofori-Atta is unwell and receiving treatment.”
The 65-year-old former minister faces accusations of causing financial losses to the state. Among the allegations are concerns regarding procurement procedures involved in the construction of a controversial national cathedral.
Despite an alleged expenditure of $58 million (£46.6 million) of government funds, the project reportedly remains an uncompleted excavation.
Ofori-Atta’s legal representatives had offered to appear on his behalf, but the state prosecutor stated that they could not respond to criminal charges on behalf of their client.
In February, Ofori-Atta had appealed to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to remove his name from the wanted list, providing a definitive return date in May.
State prosecutor Kissi Agyabeng accepted this assurance and subsequently delisted him from the wanted persons. However, in March, Ofori-Atta initiated a lawsuit, claiming unlawful treatment and seeking the removal of related content from the OSP’s social media platforms.
Earlier this month, Ofori-Atta was once again declared a wanted person and a fugitive from justice after failing to appear before an investigative panel.
Subsequently, Agyebeng formally initiated the Red Notice request, seeking international assistance in locating the former official, as reported by local media.
“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,” Agyebeng stated.
The Red Notice, issued late Thursday by Interpol, specifies that Ofori-Atta is wanted on charges of “using public office for profit.”
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He served as finance minister from January 2017 to February 2024, during the administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The NPP lost the December elections to the National Democratic Congress.
Upon his inauguration in January, President John Mahama established an investigative committee dubbed “Operation Recover All Loot.”
This committee has since received over 200 corruption complaints, totaling more than $20 billion in recoverable funds. President Mahama has directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to launch investigations into these allegations, affirming that Ghana will no longer serve as a safe haven for corruption.
Nevertheless, some Ghanaians have voiced criticism of President Mahama for allegedly discontinuing cases against his former allies who were on trial.
