The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) have launched coordinated efforts to extradite former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from the United States to face allegations of financial misconduct.
The former Finance Minister has been declared wanted following separate investigations by EOCO and NIB into his financial dealings during his tenure in office. This development marks a significant escalation in the legal scrutiny surrounding him.
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Deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem-Sai, confirmed that the Office of the Attorney General is spearheading the extradition process in collaboration with foreign law enforcement agencies.
“We are currently in the process of taking steps to have him extradited to Ghana. The arrest comes in many forms. You can arrest him and keep him temporarily, but beyond that, there must be a formal extradition process,” he stated.
Justice Srem-Sai, who was speaking on Joynews, explained that Ghanaian authorities must formally apply to the relevant agencies in the country where Mr. Ofori-Atta is believed to be—currently thought to be the United States. He noted that the alleged offences must also constitute crimes in that jurisdiction for the extradition to proceed.
“We make a formal application to the law enforcement agency in that country. They will place him under arrest, and he will go through extradition proceedings,” he said.
The Deputy AG confirmed that the U.S. is one of the jurisdictions under active consideration, although other countries are also being monitored depending on Ofori-Atta’s whereabouts.
Once extradited, Ofori-Atta is expected to be arrested upon arrival in Ghana, cautioned, and formally charged before the courts. He may then be considered for bail while legal proceedings unfold.
The former minister had earlier been declared wanted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) after repeated attempts to secure his appearance for questioning proved unsuccessful.
With EOCO and NIB now fully engaged, the pressure on Ofori-Atta has significantly intensified, raising the stakes in what is shaping up to be one of Ghana’s most high-profile corruption cases in recent years.