As Ghana pursues the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from the United States, his legal counsel has questioned the conduct of investigative authorities, describing the case as politically driven and procedurally flawed.
Enayat Qasimi, an international legal practitioner representing Ofori-Atta, told the BBC that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was fully informed of his client’s medical treatment abroad and therefore had no reasonable grounds to issue an Interpol Red Notice against him.
Ofori-Atta is facing 78 corruption-related charges alongside seven other individuals over the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority. The charges cite alleged violations of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, and the Public Procurement Act, 2003.
Qasimi emphasised that his client has never sought to avoid accountability. “He is fully committed to complying with the laws of Ghana and answering for anything that he did when he was the finance minister,” he said.
However, he questioned whether Ofori-Atta’s constitutional rights were being upheld, arguing that the decision to issue a Red Notice despite knowledge of his health status amounted to a denial of those rights.
“He was in the US receiving treatment, and they knew all along,” Qasimi stated.
His remarks follow an announcement by Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, on December 18, confirming that an official extradition request has been submitted to the United States for Ken Ofori-Atta and Ernest Akore.
