Former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has reportedly sued the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, for declaring him wanted.
According to a report by 3news.com, Ofori-Atta filed a lawsuit at the Accra High Court, accusing the Special Prosecutor of illegally declaring him wanted and violating his human rights.
The report indicated that the former minister is seeking, among other things, compensation for the violation of his rights and damages caused by the announcement.
Ken Ofori-Atta’s lawyers have argued that the wanted declaration has caused him irreparable reputational harm and distress. They have asked the court to rule that the Special Prosecutor’s actions breached his rights to dignity, fair treatment, and administrative justice.
Background:
At a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng stated that all indications suggested Ofori-Atta had absconded from Ghana to evade investigations into alleged corruption.
He subsequently declared Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive, wanted for corruption and related offences.
However, six days later, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) removed the former finance minister from its list of wanted persons following communication from his legal team confirming his voluntary return to Ghana.
On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Ken Ofori-Atta’s lawyers informed the OSP of a definite date for his return to the country.
In response, the OSP deemed the stated return date reasonable and rescheduled his attendance accordingly.
As a result, Ken Ofori-Atta was removed from the OSP’s wanted list and is no longer considered a fugitive, pending his return on the agreed date.
The former finance minister is under investigation regarding contractual arrangements between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for revenue assurance in the petroleum and minerals sectors.
Another investigation concerns the termination of a contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Beijing Technology Limited for distribution loss reduction and network improvement.
Additionally, he is being investigated over procurement, payments, and activities related to the controversial National Cathedral project.
Furthermore, he has been linked to contracts awarded by the Ministry of Health, initially through the Ministry for Special Development Initiatives, to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited for the purchase and maintenance of 307 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 305 CDI ambulances for the National Ambulance Service.
The OSP is also examining payments made from and the utilization of the Ghana Revenue Authority’s tax refund account.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
