OSP’s expunction of Ofori-Atta’s name from wanted list a sensible way of ending impasse – Kpebu

Private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, has lauded the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) expunction of Ken Ofori-Atta’s name from his wanted list.

He says the OSP’s approach is sensible considering the communication that has ensued between the two parties on the allegations against the former Finance Minister.

According to the lawyer, although the month of May which Mr. Ofori-Atta has communicated to return to the country is a bit far, it will soon come for the man to avail himself, making the decision of the OSP a sensible one.

Speaking on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Tuesday, February 18, 2025, the renowned lawyer disclosed that the OSP making his opinion clear after the concerns shared by Ghanaians and Ken Ofori-Atta himself makes the decision laudable.

He says there couldn’t have been any better means to end the impasse than to take his name off the wanted list.

“It’s a sensible way of bringing this impasse to an end. It is a sensible way because at least, Ofori-Atta has communicated a date, albeit it is in May. May is not that far. It will come soon and so OSP taking his name off the list is a sensible response.

“Now we’ve all seen how citizens have waded in, making his opinion clear, the OSP has also made its stance, I think on the balance, it is okay. It’s been good for our democracy. So it tells you that, what has come from this whole debate is that,” he stated.

The OSP at a press conference on February 12 said Ken Ofori-Atta was a wanted person and a fugitive from justice on the ground that he had failed to indicate a reasonable time of his return to the jurisdiction, despite being informed by the OSP that he was a suspect in various suspected corruption
and corruption-related cases.

But the OSP has rescinded its decision following Mr. Ofori-Atta’s communication with the Office to return to the country for interrogation in May.

A statement issued by the OSP Tuesday, February 18, 2024 indicated that Ofori-Atta is no more on the OSP’s wanted list.

“Consequently, Mr. Ofori-Atta has been removed from the OSP’s list of wanted persons and the OSP ceases to consider Mr. Ofori-Atta a fugitive from justice pending his voluntary return to the jurisdiction circa his stated date.

The OSP however indicated that he would be put back on the wanted list if he refuses to return to the country for probe voluntarily as communicated by his lawyers.

“If Mr. Ofori-Atta fails to voluntarily return to the jurisdiction circa his stated date, and if Mr. Ofori-Atta fails to attend the OSP on the rescheduled date, he shall be re-entered on the OSP’s list of wanted persons and the OSP shall then consider him a fugitive from justice, and the OSP shall take all necessary legal steps to secure his return to the jurisdiction and attendance at the OSP at our own choosing,” the statement indicated.