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0 The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has confirmed that INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF) has directed the deletion of a Red Notice issued at Ghana’s request for former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, citing procedural and contextual considerations.
In a press release dated 13 February 2026, the OSP said it had received the Commission’s decision concerning the Red Notice that was circulated following Ghana’s request to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Why INTERPOL Deleted the Notice
According to the OSP, the Commission determined that the notice should be removed under INTERPOL’s rules on political neutrality and notice processing.
The decision referenced contextual factors at the time the Red Notice was issued, including what the Commission described as “polarised political statements from members of current and former administrations” relating to the conduct of investigations.
The Commission also took into account public controversy surrounding prosecutorial and extradition processes, including acknowledgements by senior officials at Ghana’s Ministry of Justice that extradition could not be pursued at the time because the case was at an early procedural stage.
INTERPOL’s Constitution, particularly Article 3, prohibits the organisation from undertaking any intervention or activities of a political character.
Red Notices—often described as international alerts seeking the location and provisional arrest of wanted persons—must therefore meet strict admissibility criteria to avoid political overtones.
Arrest in the United States and Ongoing Cooperation
The OSP noted that subsequent developments rendered the Red Notice unnecessary.
It said Mr Ofori-Atta’s location had become known, cooperation with United States authorities was ongoing, and extradition processes had already been initiated following his arrest in the United States on 6 January 2026.
The Office added that 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 to answer multiple criminal charges. Efforts to secure his appearance, the OSP said, are continuing through established legal and diplomatic channels.
The Special Prosecutor has previously indicated that investigations relate to alleged procurement and financial irregularities during Mr Ofori-Atta’s tenure as Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024, a period during which Ghana undertook significant borrowing programmes, including domestic bond issuances, Eurobond transactions, and the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) in 2023.
Mr Ofori-Atta, who served as Finance Minister for nearly seven years, was at the centre of Ghana’s fiscal consolidation efforts during the country’s most severe economic downturn in decades. Between 2022 and 2023, Ghana experienced:
- Public debt rising to over GH¢575 billion (over 70% of GDP at peak distress levels),
- Inflation exceeding 50% year-on-year in late 2022,
- A domestic debt restructuring programme affecting more than GH¢200 billion in bonds,
- A $3 billion programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved in May 2023.
His tenure also saw public debate over revenue mobilisation strategies, energy sector debt payments, and the handling of the National Cathedral project’s financing structure.
Civil society groups and sections of Parliament had previously called for greater accountability over public financial management decisions during that period. Mr Ofori-Atta has consistently denied wrongdoing in earlier public statements.
Extradition and Legal Path Ahead
Under Ghana’s Extradition Act, 1960 (Act 22) and relevant bilateral and multilateral treaties, extradition requires judicial review in the requested state, after which executive approval may be necessary before surrender.
The OSP emphasised in its latest statement that it “remains guided solely by law and evidence” and is committed to due process and the “fair, lawful, and impartial prosecution of corruption and corruption-related offences.”
The deletion of the Red Notice does not terminate proceedings, as extradition and court processes may continue independently of INTERPOL alerts once a suspect’s location is established.
