Interpol has issued a red notice for Ghana’s former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, following corruption allegations and his failure to appear before an investigative panel.
Ghanaian prosecutors requested the alert after declaring Ofori-Atta a fugitive, claiming he evaded proceedings by citing health reasons and seeking treatment abroad.
His legal team submitted medical documents and condemned the “fugitive” label as a violation of Ofori-Atta’s fundamental rights and personal liberty.
Lawyer Frank Davies said his client had informed authorities as early as February of his medical travel plans and should not be vilified.
An Interpol red notice is not an arrest warrant, but urges international law enforcement to locate and possibly detain Ofori-Atta for extradition.
The former minister, who held office from 2017 to 2024 under the New Patriotic Party, is accused of misappropriating \$58 million for a failed national cathedral project.
The case is unfolding amid President John Mahama’s sweeping anti-corruption drive, which seeks to reclaim \$20 billion in allegedly stolen public funds.
Mahama took office in January after defeating NPP candidate Mahamudu Bawumia in a hotly contested December election.
Critics argue the anti-graft campaign has selectively targeted political opponents, while shielding allies within Mahama’s inner circle.
Ofori-Atta has not publicly addressed the fresh charges, though in March he filed a lawsuit against the special prosecutor’s office for defamation via social media.
His current whereabouts remain unknown as legal and political tensions escalate over one of Ghana’s most high-profile corruption cases.
