{"id":60320,"date":"2025-06-02T20:39:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T20:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=60320"},"modified":"2025-06-02T20:39:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T20:39:20","slug":"special-prosecutor-must-clearly-explain-why-ofori-atta-must-appear-in-person-martin-kpebu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=60320","title":{"rendered":"Special Prosecutor must clearly explain why Ofori-Atta must appear in person \u2013 Martin Kpebu"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class='booster-block booster-read-block'>\n                <div class=\"twp-read-time\">\n                \t<i class=\"booster-icon twp-clock\"><\/i> <span>Read Time:<\/span>1 Minute, 48 Second                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div><div>\n<p>Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to clearly explain why it insists on the physical presence of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for ongoing legal proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on Joy FM\u2019s <em><strong>News Night<\/strong><\/em> on Monday, June 2, Mr Kpebu noted that while the OSP has initiated extradition proceedings and an Interpol Red Notice against Mr Ofori-Atta, it has not adequately explained why it refuses to consider a video conference, especially given the provisions of the Mutual Legal Assistance Act, 2010 (Act 807).<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myjoyonline.com\/ofori-atta-declared-wanted-again-by-osp-after-missing-june-2-deadline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read also: Ofori-Atta declared wanted again by OSP after missing June 2 deadline<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cIf you just say you insist he should come, articulate the reasons,\u201d Mr Kpebu stated. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce we have a law that says that we can request that a video conference be done\u2014where you want to shun that law aside, or you are not going to use that law\u2014there should be reasons, very articulate reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myjoyonline.com\/we-investigated-an-ex-president-whats-special-about-ofori-atta-special-prosecutor-asks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read also: We investigated an ex-President; what\u2019s special about Ofori-Atta? \u2013 Special Prosecutor ask<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The former Finance Minister\u2019s legal team has cited health concerns, including a cancer diagnosis and upcoming surgery, as reasons for his inability to return to Ghana. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CdwqfCksvS4?si=1BpMFnjO9NlA1VHF\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Mr Ofori-Atta\u2019s lawyers have proposed a virtual interview as an alternative. However, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has rejected this request, insisting on his physical presence and re-declaring him a wanted person after he failed to appear by the June 2 deadline.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myjoyonline.com\/ofori-atta-diagnosed-with-cancer-special-prosecutor-informed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read also: Ofori-Atta diagnosed with cancer \u2013 Special Prosecutor informed<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The OSP maintained that suspects in criminal investigations must appear in person and that legal representation or virtual interviews cannot substitute for physical attendance. <\/p>\n<p>The office has also initiated processes for an Interpol Red Notice to facilitate Mr Ofori-Atta\u2019s arrest and extradition.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Kpebu stated that if the Special Prosecutor intends to sidestep established legal avenues such as video testimony or mutual legal assistance, the public deserves a clear and legal justification 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Speaking on Joy FM\u2019s News Night on Monday, June 2, Mr Kpebu noted that while the OSP has initiated extradition [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-60320","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=60320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60320\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=60320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=60320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=60320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}