Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has slammed the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over its decision to place former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Interpol’s wanted list without formally charging him with any crime. He described the move as legally flawed and a complete wasting of Ghanaians’ time.
Speaking on TV3’s ‘The Key Point’ on Saturday, June 6, the lawmaker, himself a trained lawyer, accused the OSP of failing to follow standard criminal procedure under Ghanaian law.
Also Read: Consumer Price Inflation down to 18.4% in May as Cedi gains, fiscal measures drive stability
“We are wasting everybody’s time. Under Act 30, there’s a clear procedure. Arresting a suspect and bringing them to your premises is only one option. You don’t need the accused present to charge them,” Dafeamekpor fumed.
The South Dayi MP argued that the OSP had multiple legal avenues to pursue prosecution even without physically arresting the former Finance Minister.
Speaking on the legal procedures available to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Dafeamekpor emphasized that under Act 30 — the Criminal Procedure Act — there is a clear and structured process for handling criminal matters.
He explained that arresting and bringing a suspect “willy-nilly” to the OSP’s premises is merely one option, not the only route available under the law.
He argued that there’s a procedure to deal with this matter, stressing that arresting a suspect and bringing them in is just one aspect. He pointed out other lawful means of proceeding without physically detaining the suspect.
He said, “If you are finding it difficult to get a suspect, look at the complaint, the facts, and the evidence. You can proceed to court by making a prima facie determination.”
“You don’t need the presence of an accused to charge. The OSP can go ahead and issue a charge sheet and file it like a civil process.”
Hon. Dafeamekpor further emphasized that prosecution is not about vengeance but about justice and recovery of state funds.
“We are not interested in jailing Ofori-Atta if he’s guilty. We are interested in recovering whatever financial losses are involved. If you don’t initiate criminal prosecution, how will you even freeze assets?” he questioned.
He questioned why, months after public interest in the matter surged, no formal charges had been filed by the Special Prosecutor against the former Minister.
“We are now in June. If you can prosecute, prosecute. If you can’t, then say so! You can’t continue to drag the nation along in suspense,” he said.
Drawing from Ghana’s political history, Dafeamekpor recalled past finance ministers who had faced prosecution namely Kwame Perprah and Victor Salormey, suggesting that Ofori-Atta is not above the law and would not be the first former Finance Minister to be charged
The OSP has come under intense scrutiny recently for its handling of high-profile cases, especially that of Ken Ofori-Atta. The former Finance Minister failed to honour an invite to appear before the OSP on June 2 for which he was declared a fugitive of the state and listed on Interpol’s red alert notice list.