The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has revealed that his office was powerless to prevent former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from leaving Ghana after the 2024 elections.
Speaking on The KSM Show, Mr. Agyebeng explained that during the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) lacked the operational support needed to enforce travel restrictions.
“We didn’t watch him leave; we were powerless, that is the truth. We saw him leave, but we couldn’t prevent him from leaving the airport,” he stated.
He added that the situation has improved under the current government, with better cooperation from national security agencies in enforcing anti-corruption measures.
“Now we can rely on the Ghana Immigration Service to block someone, but at the time he left, you’d call up Immigration, and no one would respond,” Mr. Agyebeng noted.
The corruption probe into Mr. Ofori-Atta has become one of Ghana’s most high-profile investigations. The OSP is investigating alleged financial misconduct linked to major government contracts, including the controversial Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) deal, the National Cathedral project, and procurement issues involving the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Despite several summonses, Mr. Ofori-Atta reportedly failed to appear before investigators, prompting the OSP to declare him a fugitive and later request an INTERPOL Red Notice.
His legal team, however, has cited procedural concerns and health-related challenges, arguing that the former minister is cooperating through the appropriate legal channels. Mr. Ofori-Atta is currently in the United States of America.
