The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has announced that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is no longer on its wanted list.
On February 12, 2025, the Special Prosecutor declared Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta a wanted person and a fugitive from justice due to his failure to provide a reasonable time for his return to the jurisdiction, despite being informed by the OSP that he was a suspect in various corruption and corruption-related cases and being directed to physically attend the OSP in Accra on a specified date and time for an interview.
On February 18, 2025, Mr. Ofori-Atta communicated through his lawyers to the OSP, indicating a definite date for his voluntary return to the jurisdiction. This marked a significant shift from his previous intention of remaining outside the jurisdiction indefinitely.
On the same day, the OSP granted Mr. Ofori-Atta’s request, considering his stated date of voluntary return reasonable under the circumstances.
Consequently, the special prosecutor rescheduled the date of Mr. Ofori-Atta’s attendance at the OSP, taking into account his 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 circa his stated date.
“If Mr. Ofori-Atta fails to voluntarily return to the jurisdiction circa his 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 a 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.
“The OSP is committed to its mandate of ensuring accountability guided by due process and fairness,” the OSP said on its X page on Tuesday, February 18.
