After weeks of hide and seek, and growing public scrutiny, former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has managed to secure his exit from the “wanted” list of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). His removal comes after he confirmed that he would return to Ghana between 14 and 30 May 2025 to face the music literally.
This significant move follows Ofori-Atta’s prior absence from the country and a declaration from the OSP on 12 February 2025, naming him a “fugitive” for failing to provide a clear return date. His indefinite stay overseas had raised eyebrows as he was linked to high-profile corruption investigations, including the National Cathedral scandal and the controversial SML and Ambulance Rehabilitation scandals.
But all that seems to have changed when, on 18 February 2025, Ofori-Atta’s legal team communicated to the OSP that he would indeed return to Ghana and show up for the interview, as instructed. As a result, the OSP, having deemed this return reasonable, has officially removed him from their wanted list.
In a statement on social media, the Founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, commented on the shift:
“Finally, the former Finance Minister has pleaded with the OSP to drop the Wanted Notice, after giving a date he’d return to Ghana.”
While the decision to reschedule his interview is a win for Ofori-Atta, the OSP has made it clear that any failure to meet his return commitment will come with consequences.
The OSP noted: “If Mr. Ofori-Atta fails to voluntarily return to the jurisdiction on his stated date, and if he fails to attend the OSP on the rescheduled date, he shall be re-entered on the OSP’s list of wanted persons.”
In layman’s terms—if Ofori-Atta doesn’t show up when he says he will, the OSP won’t hesitate to put him back on the wanted list, and that could mean a whole new set of legal headaches.
But for now, Ofori-Atta’s legal team is hoping that the commitment to return will bring an end to his fugitive status and pave the way for him to answer the charges against him.
