The Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) failure to prevent the former Minister of Finance from exiting the shores of Ghana is an indication that he slept on the job.
Private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, who is making the assertion says the OSP failed to heed to voices of the masses who called for Ghana’s borders to be secured to prevent politically exposed persons potentially liable for investigations to abscond.
Mr. Kpebu, who says the OSP’s time for declaring the former Minister wanted “does not add up” to him, says William Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, shirked his responsibility by allowing Ofori-Atta to leave Ghana.
He explained that although the Special Prosecutor has the right to issue orders and warrants for arrest amongst others, he should conduct himself in a manner that would not make people raise suspicions about his actions.
“You may have the right as Special Prosecutor to issue orders and all that but you also have to consider the audience, the citizens, we are now very critical. It is doesn’t add up to me. I’m like the man was here all this while, you waited, the time he says he is going on a medical trip to seek medical attention, that’s the time you say he is a wanted person,” he stated.
Mr. Kpebu added that the OSP should have heeded to the voice of democracy when the calls for the border closures came up.
“…and especially also, in light of the fact that, as soon after the December elections, NDC foot soldiers had started making noise, ‘close the borders’. I’m not saying that close every border so no politician or minister should leave. But they say democracy is the wisdom of the crowd so when you see a lot of people saying something, listen, there is sense in it. What they are just saying is that take measures to ensure that nobody absconds.
“So, the OSP didn’t listen and now Ofori-Atta is gone. I think OSP has slept on the job. It doesn’t add up,” he further stated.
According to eyewitness accounts and security footage, a group of individuals, including some men in military and police uniforms, stormed Mr Ofori-Atta’s residence in Cantonments, Accra on Tuesday afternoon, February 11, 2025, while he was out of the country.
Meanwhile, Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has confirmed to Parliament that the National Security Coordinator has admitted that the raid on Ofori-Atta’s home was regrettable.
Ofori-Atta’s home was raided amid the OSP’s declaration of him being wanted, and describing him as a fugitive of justice.
“It is true that the private residence of the former Finance Minister was raided by operatives of the military and police, led by someone we believe works at the National Security Coordinator’s Office, his name is Mr. Jakpa.
“We have investigated the matter and we want to assure our fellow countrymen and our colleagues in this House that we have received assurances from the Office of the National Security Coordinator that this was not intended to happen. The occurrence is most regrettable and unfortunate, and he has given this House his word that such an incident will never happen again,” he assured.
