Declaring people wanted is unconstitutional – Kofi Bentil on OSP vs Ofori-Atta

Kofi Bentil, Vice-President of IMANI Africa, has raised concerns. He questions the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor's (OSP) actions. The OSP declared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta wanted after he failed to appear.

Bentil spoke on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, June 7. He argued that this move violates fundamental legal principles. He stated, “It is not constitutional for any institution to declare a person wanted because they did not submit themselves to investigation.”

This statement follows the OSP's decision to reinstate Mr. Ofori-Atta’s wanted status. This occurred after he missed an appointment on June 2. His legal team provided a medical excuse citing cancer treatment.

The OSP found this justification insufficient. They initiated steps to place him on INTERPOL’s Red Notice list. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing investigation.

On Thursday, June 5, Mr. Ofori-Atta was officially listed on INTERPOL’s database. The listing describes him as a 65-year-old Ghanaian male. He was born on November 7, 1959, in Accra and stands 1.7 meters tall.

He has black hair and eyes and speaks English and Twi fluently.