The family of Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, says he will return to the country to respond to an ongoing investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) after undergoing a scheduled surgery on 13 June.
Mr Ofori-Atta, who has been placed on an INTERPOL Red Notice, is currently under investigation for alleged financial misconduct during his tenure. The specifics of the allegations have not been officially detailed, but the OSP has confirmed an active probe is underway.
In a strongly-worded statement released on Monday, Mr Ofori-Atta’s relatives accused the Special Prosecutor’s office of waging what they described as a “premeditated vendetta”, claiming the legal actions against the former minister have strayed from due process.
“The issuance of the Red Notice is not only an abuse of the OSP’s mandate, but a grave violation of Ken’s constitutional rights,” the statement read. “It disregards international legal norms and appears to be rooted more in personal motives than objective inquiry.”
The family also disclosed that formal petitions have been submitted to both Ghana’s National Central Bureau and INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF), seeking the immediate removal of the Red Notice. They allege that the move to involve INTERPOL was based on “manipulated evidence” and failed to take into account Mr Ofori-Atta’s medical condition.
There has been no official response yet from the OSP or INTERPOL regarding the family’s claims.
Ken Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 until early 2024 and was a central figure in the country’s economic management during a turbulent period marked by debt restructuring and IMF negotiations.
His return, following medical treatment, is expected to mark a key moment in what has become one of the most high-profile corruption investigations in recent Ghanaian political history.
