Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is not avoiding justice, his lawyer has insisted, describing the ongoing GRA–SML case as politically motivated.
Enayat Qasimi, an international legal practitioner representing Ofori-Atta, told the BBC that authorities were fully aware that his client was receiving medical treatment abroad, making the issuance of a Red Notice unnecessary.
“Mr Ofori-Atta was receiving treatment. He was in the US, and they knew all along. There was no purpose for issuing the Red Notice, but they went ahead and issued it,” Qasimi said.
Ofori-Atta faces 78 counts of corruption in connection with the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority, alongside seven other individuals.
Charges include alleged violations of Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and Section 92(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).
Qasimi stressed that his client remains committed to cooperating with Ghana’s legal processes. “He is fully committed to complying with the laws of Ghana, and he is fully committed to answering for anything that he did when he was the finance minister. There is absolutely no question about that,” he said.
The lawyer also raised concerns about whether Ofori-Atta’s constitutional rights are being upheld. “The question is, is he being given the rights that he’s guaranteed under Ghanaian law? He is not, and he has never been,” Qasimi added.
In the meantime, the Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, confirmed that his office submitted a formal extradition request to the United States for Ofori-Atta and an alleged accomplice, Ernest Akore.
