The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) of Ghana has officially confirmed the deletion of a Red Notice previously issued at its request for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta by INTERPOL's Commission for the Control of Files (CCF). This decision, communicated in a press release dated February 13, 2026, has ignited a public debate, particularly regarding its implications for ongoing criminal and extradition proceedings against Mr. Ofori-Atta. The OSP, however, maintains that these proceedings continue independently of the INTERPOL alert.

INTERPOL's CCF determined that the Red Notice should be removed due to its "predominantly political character," citing Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which prohibits the organization from undertaking activities of a political nature. The Commission's decision referenced "polarized political statements from members of current and former administrations" concerning the investigation, as well as public controversy surrounding the prosecutorial and extradition processes. It also noted acknowledgements by senior officials at Ghana’s Ministry of Justice that extradition could not be pursued initially due to the case being at an early procedural stage.

While Mr. Ofori-Atta’s legal team, led by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, interpreted the deletion as INTERPOL not endorsing "political persecution" and granting their client unrestricted international travel, the OSP has contested this characterization. Samuel Darko, Director of the Strategy, Research, and Communication Division at the OSP, publicly questioned the precise wording attributed to INTERPOL by Ofori-Atta's lawyers, suggesting a potential misrepresentation of facts. Darko also clarified the function of a Red Notice, explaining that it is primarily a request to locate and provisionally arrest a person, and once an individual is arrested, the notice's operational purpose is fulfilled, rendering it unnecessary for ongoing extradition processes.

Crucially, the OSP has affirmed that the deletion of the Red Notice does not amount to a determination on the merits of the underlying criminal case and does not impede the ongoing legal processes. Mr. Ofori-Atta was arrested in the United States on January 6, 2026, over visa issues, at which point his location became known. Following this, cooperation with United States authorities commenced, and extradition processes were formally initiated. Summons issued by the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra have been transmitted for service in the United States, requiring Mr. Ofori-Atta to appear before the Ghanaian court to answer multiple criminal charges. Efforts to secure his appearance are actively continuing through established legal and diplomatic channels.

Under Ghana’s Extradition Act, 1960 (Act 22) and applicable bilateral agreements, extradition proceedings typically involve rigorous judicial review in the requested country. This includes assessments of dual criminality (where the alleged offence must be a crime in both jurisdictions), evidentiary sufficiency, and procedural safeguards. Such processes can be complex and lengthy, potentially taking months or longer, involving preliminary hearings, evidentiary submissions, and possible appeals before executive approval for surrender is considered.

The investigations by the OSP relate to alleged procurement and financial irregularities during Mr. Ofori-Atta’s tenure as Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024. This period coincided with Ghana’s most severe economic crisis in decades, characterized by public debt rising to over GH¢575 billion, inflation peaking above 50% year-on-year, and a significant domestic debt exchange programme followed by a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme in May 2023. Mr. Ofori-Atta has consistently denied any wrongdoing and is entitled to the presumption of innocence under Ghana’s Constitution. The OSP reiterates its commitment to being "guided solely by law and evidence" and ensuring "due process and the fair, lawful, and impartial prosecution of corruption and corruption-related offences."