The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has dismissed claims that it is delaying or frustrating the extradition process of former Finance Minister, Kenneth Ofori-Atta, who is currently under investigation for corruption-related offences.
In a press statement released on Monday, the OSP responded to recent public remarks made by the Deputy Attorney General, who claimed that the Attorney General’s Department had sent multiple requests for the case docket but received no response from the OSP.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office called for clarity on the matter and confirmed that all required legal steps to extradite Mr. Ofori-Atta had already been initiated.
“The OSP is not frustrating and will not frustrate its own extradition request,” the statement said, adding “There is absolutely no reason for the Attorney General’s Department to feel frustrated, if that is the case.”
According to the OSP, it began investigating Mr. Ofori-Atta earlier this year as the main suspect in a corruption probe. He was officially notified and summoned but left Ghana in January 2025 and has not returned voluntarily since.
Intelligence gathered by the OSP indicates that Mr. Ofori-Atta has been residing in the United States. In response, the OSP obtained a judicial arrest warrant in May and declared him a fugitive. He was placed on the INTERPOL Red Notice list in early June.
That same month, the OSP formally initiated the extradition process through the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, who then forwarded the request to the Attorney General on June 3, 2025. The Attorney General acknowledged receipt and requested two OSP officers to join the prosecution team, along with the case docket.
The Special Prosecutor responded by nominating the officers and explaining that the case files were being updated due to additional evidence obtained during a joint operation with National Security at Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) on June 10.
“Upon the communication to the Attorney General that the investigation had been extended, reasonable patience is required for the detailed examination and analysis of the newly discovered evidence,” the statement added.
The OSP also condemned the recent leak of confidential correspondence regarding the extradition process, which appeared on social media on October 16. The office stressed that the leaked information did not originate from its end and warned that such leaks put ongoing investigations and staff safety at risk.
Despite the public tensions, the Special Prosecutor insisted that there is no breakdown in cooperation with the Attorney General’s Department.
“The two offices are distinct by design but remain complementary arms of justice under Ghana’s constitutional architecture. Differences in function do not imply conflict,” the OSP stated.
The office assured the public that the investigations remain active and that a full update will be provided before the end of October.
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