Photo: Embattled Ken Ofori-Atta
But Agyepong Says, ‘Leave Him Alone!’
Former NPP General Secretary, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has launched a fierce broadside at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), denouncing it as a “worthless drain on the overstretched public purse,” amid an international manhunt for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Mr Ofori-Atta, once the powerful steward of Ghana’s economic engine, is now on the run—at least in the eyes of the OSP, which on Monday, 2 June, declared him a fugitive and secured an Interpol Red Notice following his repeated failure to honour commitments to return to Ghana for questioning.
But Agyepong, a senior figure within the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), isn’t buying it. In a sharply worded Tuesday statement, he accused the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, of abusing the public trust by conducting “media trials” and resorting to PR stunts instead of initiating proper legal proceedings.
“Only a court of competent authority can declare someone a fugitive,” Agyepong fumed. “That cannot be the mandate of a prosecutor who should be in court proving his case, not on TV staging press conferences.”
OSP Accuses, But No Charges Filed
Ken Ofori-Atta quietly exited the country in January 2025 under the pretext of seeking medical attention in the United States. He promised to return by 28 January. He didn’t. In March, his lawyers reportedly requested more time, pledging he would appear before the OSP in May. That deadline was stretched to 2 June, but the former minister remains missing in action.
At Monday’s press briefing, Mr Agyebeng confirmed Ofori-Atta’s noncompliance, adding that his persistent absence “demonstrates wilful disregard for lawful authority,” and as such, he had formally activated Interpol to assist in bringing him back.
“No Charges, No Fugitive” – Agyepong Hits Back
But Agyepong isn’t moved. According to him, no formal charges have been laid against Ofori-Atta—meaning the OSP’s pursuit lacks legal grounding.
“If the OSP truly has a case, why hasn’t he filed it in court?” Agyepong challenged. “Why the theatrics? Why the Red Notices? This is pure political pageantry masquerading as law enforcement.”
He further took a swipe at the hypocrisy of the OSP’s actions, recalling times when the Special Prosecutor himself operated remotely from outside Ghana due to alleged security threats.
“If Agyebeng could run the OSP from abroad, why can’t he engage Ken remotely too? This isn’t about justice—it’s a PR gimmick to justify an office that should never have existed in the first place.”
A Defence of the Party—or a Warning Shot?
While Agyepong framed his tirade in legalese, the undertone was unmistakably political. With the NPP teetering between internal crisis and external scrutiny, he warned that the party’s image was being torched for political theatre.
“We the people will not condone any moves calculated to further damage our party’s brand on the altar of political expediency,” he declared, hinting at growing unrest within party ranks as it heads into a critical electoral season.
Even so, Agyepong claimed he stood for lawful accountability, stressing that former appointees who misbehaved in office should “face the full consequences”—but only through legitimate judicial processes, not “high-handed Rambo-style raids.”
OSP Yet to Respond
At press time, the Office of the Special Prosecutor had not officially responded to Agyepong’s allegations. However, legal analysts point out that Ghanaian law does permit investigative warrants during active probes—even in the absence of charges—especially when individuals are seen to be evading justice.
Still, the optics are bruising. The spectacle of a once-influential finance minister now facing global arrest—and the party elders rallying in his defence—raises urgent questions about whether the NPP remains committed to accountability, or whether it is entrenching impunity behind legal technicalities.
With the 2025 political calendar heating up, The Hawk will be watching.
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