The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has affirmed that Ghana’s request for the extradition of former Minister for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, does not amount to a witch-hunt.
According to diplomatic sources close to the U.S. Embassy in Accra, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice have examined the circumstances surrounding the request and are satisfied that the allegations against Mr. Ofori-Atta are legitimate and devoid of political persecution.
The development provides a significant boost to efforts by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to ensure accountability from the former Minister, who served under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration and is currently in the United States for medical treatment.
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Mr. Ofori-Atta is facing allegations of financial malfeasance and causing financial loss to the state. The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) have all expressed interest in interrogating him on various matters related to his tenure.
The OSP, in particular, has twice declared Mr. Ofori-Atta a wanted person after he failed to honour invitations for interrogation. It has since formally initiated extradition proceedings through the Office of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.
The extradition process, which is governed by international legal protocols, allows a person wanted in one country to be legally returned from another country where they are currently residing. The process requires approval from the host country’s judicial system and may be contested by the individual involved.
Sources indicate that the FBI’s position clears a major legal and diplomatic hurdle in the extradition process, as U.S. law allows foreign nationals to seek protection if they can prove that requests from their home country are politically motivated or amount to persecution.
Mr. Ofori-Atta, through his lawyers, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has filed a series of legal actions in Ghana challenging the validity of the warrants issued for his arrest and the extradition proceedings. He has also accused the OSP of violating his fundamental human rights.
As extradition proceedings progress, the cooperation of U.S. authorities will remain pivotal in determining whether Mr. Ofori-Atta will be compelled to return to Ghana to respond to the allegations levelled against him.