Court Dismisses Ken Ofori-Atta’s Injunction Against OSP; Fined GH¢5,000

A Human Rights Court in Accra has dismissed an application by former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta seeking to stop the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) from publishing public wanted notices against him. The court also imposed a GH¢5,000 fine on Mr. Ofori-Atta for what it appeared to consider a legal tactic to stall legitimate investigations.

The ruling comes amidst a months-long standoff between the OSP and the former minister, who is under investigation for allegedly using public office for private profit during his tenure from 2017 to 2024. Ofori-Atta left Ghana in January 2025 following the change in government and has since failed to appear before the OSP, citing health issues.

Despite undergoing successful cancer surgery, his legal team had requested virtual interrogations, which the OSP rejected. “A suspect in a criminal investigation does not pick and choose how the investigative body conducts its proceedings,” the OSP stated.

After his failure to return for questioning on June 2, the OSP re-declared him a fugitive, and an Interpol Red Notice was subsequently issued to aid in his international apprehension. The notice enables global police cooperation in locating and potentially extraditing the former minister.

Legal analysts view the latest court decision as a clear judicial endorsement of the Special Prosecutor’s aggressive stance. This adds to a string of unsuccessful attempts by Ofori-Atta’s legal team to halt or reverse the OSP’s actions, including efforts to erase earlier wanted declarations from public platforms.

As proceedings intensify, the case underscores growing efforts to pursue high-profile accountability in Ghana’s political and legal systems.

Also Read: Ofori-Atta sues OSP for declaring him wanted