Ken Ofori-Atta spotted walking freely in Washington DC despite Interpol red notice by OSP

Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who has been declared wanted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and placed on Interpol’s Red Notice, has been sighted in Washington DC, USA.

Mr Ofori-Atta is wanted for allegedly using public office for personal profit, with the OSP accusing him of refusing to cooperate with ongoing corruption-related investigations.

The OSP first declared him a fugitive on February 12, 2025, after he failed to appear for an investigative interview. His lawyers at the time cited medical reasons for his absence, submitting a doctor’s note that suggested he was undergoing tests and possibly surgery abroad. While the OSP initially removed his name from the “Wanted List” after assurances of a definite return date, Mr Ofori-Atta failed to appear as agreed, prompting the OSP to reinstate him as a fugitive on June 2, 2025.

Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng explained at a June press briefing that repeated delays and refusals by the former minister had exhausted the OSP’s patience. “We want him here physically, and we insist on it. A suspect in a criminal investigation does not pick and choose how the investigative body conducts its investigations and the methods suitable to him and his convenience. We will not countenance this conduct, not in this case,” he said.

The investigations cover five major issues from Mr Ofori-Atta’s tenure under the Akufo-Addo administration. These include the Petroleum and Minerals Revenue Assurance contract between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority; the termination of a contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana and Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC); procurement and financing concerns relating to the National Cathedral project; the controversial ambulance procurement contract involving Service Ghana Auto Group Limited; and the management of the GRA’s Tax P-Fund Account.

In March 2025, Mr Ofori-Atta filed a lawsuit against the OSP, challenging his earlier declaration as a fugitive and seeking compensation, but the court stopped short of barring the OSP from re-declaring him wanted.

His failure to report to the OSP on June 2 led to his reinstatement on the “Wanted List,” after which the Special Prosecutor formally requested an Interpol Red Notice to facilitate his arrest and possible extradition.

With his latest sighting in Washington DC, attention now turns to how Ghana’s law enforcement agencies, working with Interpol, will proceed in efforts to bring the former minister back home to face investigations.