The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has confirmed that INTERPOL has deleted a Red Notice issued against former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, following a ruling by the organisation’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF).
In a statement dated February 13, 2026, the OSP said the Commission directed the removal of the notice after reviewing the circumstances under which Ghana requested its issuance.
According to the OSP, the Commission found that the Red Notice failed to fully satisfy INTERPOL’s rules on political neutrality and procedural standards.
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The review cited what it described as “polarised political statements” from figures in both current and former administrations, which could have affected the perception of the case.
The Commission also considered public debates surrounding extradition and prosecution, including earlier acknowledgements by officials at Ghana’s Ministry of Justice (Ghana) that the matter was still at a preliminary stage.
Under INTERPOL’s Constitution, particularly Article 3, the organisation is prohibited from engaging in matters of a political nature. Red Notices must therefore be free from political influence to remain valid.
The OSP further explained that later developments rendered the Red Notice unnecessary.
Mr Ofori-Atta’s whereabouts were established, cooperation with authorities in the United States intensified, and extradition procedures were initiated after his arrest on January 6, 2026.
The Office added that summons issued by the High Court of Ghana in Accra have been forwarded for service in the United States, requiring the former minister to appear and respond to multiple criminal charges.
Efforts to secure his return, the OSP said, are ongoing through legal and diplomatic channels.
Under Ghana’s Extradition Act, 1960 (Act 22), extradition requests must undergo judicial review in the requested country, followed by possible executive approval.
The OSP stressed that the removal of the Red Notice does not halt ongoing legal proceedings.
It reaffirmed its commitment to “fair, lawful, and impartial prosecution” guided strictly by evidence and due process.
Once a suspect’s location is known, extradition and court processes, the Office noted, can proceed independently of INTERPOL alerts.
Background
The Special Prosecutor has linked its investigations to alleged procurement and financial irregularities during Mr. Ofori-Atta’s tenure from 2017 to 2024.
The period coincided with major borrowing programmes, including Eurobond issuances, domestic bond restructuring, and the 2023 Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.
His time in office also featured intense public debate over revenue mobilisation, energy sector debts, and the financing of the National Cathedral project.
Civil society organisations and some Members of Parliament had called for deeper scrutiny of public financial management decisions. Mr Ofori-Atta has consistently denied any wrongdoing.