Lawyer and Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has advised former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta not to return to Ghana, even though he has been declared wanted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and listed on the Interpol Red Notice.
“If I had to advise Ken as a brother, I would say, don’t come to Ghana now. Wait, let them try you. If you are convicted, we will take it from there,” he concluded.
Speaking in an interview on Joynews’ News file show on Saturday June 7, 2025, Mr. Bentil said that although he respects and considers Mr. Ofori-Atta a friend and mentor, the legal processes being used against him raise serious constitutional and human rights concerns.
“Ken gave me my first job and has been a strong influence in my career. But I cannot support everything he did in government. Still, I do not abandon my friends when things get tough. I respect him, and I will defend his personal character,” Mr. Bentil said.
Mr. Bentil explained that while the OSP is working within the law and has legal grounds to pursue Mr. Ofori-Atta, there are alternative legal procedures that should be used instead of treating him as a criminal before any court ruling.
“Our laws allow for someone to be tried in absentia. If Ken is not available, the Special Prosecutor should proceed to court and try him without his physical presence,” he said. “But declaring him wanted and placing him on an Interpol list gives the impression that he is already guilty, which violates the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’.”
He added that such an aggressive move could be seen as unjust, especially since Mr. Ofori-Atta has not yet been convicted of any crime. He questioned why the authorities have not pursued a court trial in absentia if they believe there is enough evidence against him.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor recently declared Mr. Ofori-Atta wanted and activated an international warrant through Interpol.
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