Ken Ofori-Atta will return to Ghana after surgery - Family

Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to return to Ghana after undergoing surgery for cancer in the United States, according to a statement issued by his family on Sunday, June 9, 2025. 

The family confirmed that he will make himself available to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) once his medical treatment and recovery are complete.

The announcement comes in the wake of the issuance of an INTERPOL Red Notice and the declaration by the OSP that Mr Ofori-Atta is a fugitive from justice. The family has described the move as a “premeditated theatrical stunt” aimed at publicly humiliating a man who, they say, has never run from legal scrutiny.

The family said the former minister’s surgery is scheduled for June 13 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, following a confirmed diagnosis of cancer after a biopsy conducted in March. They insisted that Mr Ofori-Atta had notified the OSP of his condition and had requested a video-recorded interview in lieu of a physical appearance—an offer they say was rejected.

In the detailed release, the family accused the OSP of manipulating evidence, violating Mr Ofori-Atta’s constitutional rights, and disregarding ongoing judicial processes. They cited a pending Human Rights Court ruling scheduled for June 18 and claimed that the Special Prosecutor’s office “deliberately suppressed and manipulated” information to secure an arrest warrant without proper judicial procedure.

“There is no charge stated against Mr Ofori-Atta apart from what is vaguely mentioned on the arrest warrant as ‘using public office for private profit’,” the family said. “This arrest warrant was procured under unusual circumstances and without a filed affidavit.”

The family’s petition to the INTERPOL Commission for the Control of Files (CCF) calls for the immediate withdrawal of the Red Notice, which they argue was issued without due consideration of Mr Ofori-Atta’s medical condition, the Human Rights Court proceedings, and offers of virtual cooperation.

“We remain perplexed by the OSP’s refusal over the past three months to accept Mr Ofori-Atta’s proposal to provide information via written responses and/or video recorded interview,” the family said. “It is hard to imagine that this is for any other reason than to attempt to humiliate him on arrival.”

The statement also recalled Mr Ofori-Atta’s record of transparency during investigations by Parliament, CHRAJ, and the ECOWAS Court, all of which cleared him of wrongdoing. “Any claims suggesting that Mr Ofori-Atta is fleeing justice are out of character, preposterous and simply not true,” the family asserted.

The family concluded by reiterating that the former minister would return home once he is fit to travel and will respond fully to the OSP’s inquiry in person.

“Once Mr. Ofori-Atta’s surgical procedure is over and the necessary treatment and recuperation has taken place, he will return to Ghana at the appropriate time and meet with the OSP in-person. We are confident that Mr Ofori-Atta’s rights will be restored and when these investigations are completed, he will be acquitted in full view of our entire nation and justice will find the Hamans.,” the statement ended.