Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has filed legal charges against the office of the special prosecutor and its legal head, Kissi Agyebeng, alleging an unlawful declaration of him as a fugitive of justice.
According to the lawsuit filed on Thursday, March 13, 2025, the former finance minister is seeking about eighteen (18) reliefs from the court, including compensation for damages done to his reputation.
Ofori-Atta is also seeking, among other things, an injunction barring the OSP from further declaring him a fugitive of justice and reissuing the declaration.
BACKGROUND
Earlier this year, in February, the Office of the Special Prosecutor declared Ken Ofori-Atta a wanted person and a fugitive of justice during a press conference.
“A few minutes ago, I signed a directive declaring a high-profile person a fugitive from justice. This person is wanted by the OSP to answer charges in respect of several cases,” he state
According to the OSP, the former minister was evading his invitation under the guise of medical reasons.
“We are of the firm conviction that it is only a ruse employed by Mr. Ofori-Atta in aid of his intention to avoid his return to the jurisdiction and to personally answer questions in respect of the investigations,” he added.
But, in one of the reliefs being sought after, the suit argues the constitutionality of that declaration, citing a breach of Articles 14 and 21 of the 1992 constitution as well as Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
Three days after declaring Ken Ofori-Atta wanted, the OSP announced the withdrawal of his name from the wanted list. Lawyers of Ken Ofori-Atta, however, are unbothered about it – they argue that the OSP still kept their client’s picture on its webpage, contrary to their claim.
Some key reliefs Mr. Ofori-Atta is seeking are:
- A declaration that Kissi Agyebeng breached his duty to act fairly when he used a media briefing to revise the terms of his official interaction with the former minister.
- An order for the immediate removal of Mr. Ofori-Atta’s photograph and personal details from the OSP’s wanted list published on its website.
- Compensation for:
- The unlawful declaration of Mr. Ofori-Att as a wanted person.
- The publication of his personal details as a wanted person on the OSP’s official website
- A directive for the OSP to officially serve any documents required from Mr. Ofori-Atta for investigations through his lawyers, to enable proper compliance.
- An injunction restraining the OSP from taking any steps to forcibly secure Mr. Ofori-Atta’s return to Ghana while these matters remain unresolved in court.