Justice on Holiday: Why Ken Ofori-Atta’s Red Notice Means Nothing in Ghana—Kay Codjoe Writes

Photograph of Ken Ofori-Atta, Former Minister of Finance, Ghana.

Since June, when Interpol issued a Red Notice for Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana has been waiting. The Special Prosecutor declared him a fugitive, laid out the cases from the Agyapa royalties deal to the National Cathedral contracts, and promised firm action. Interpol confirmed the notice was live. That was supposed to be the line in the sand. And then, nothing. Silence.

This silence is not benign. It corrodes public trust. It leaves space for whispers that the system is stalling, that power has placed its thumb once again on the scales of justice. For ordinary Ghanaians who bore the brunt of reckless borrowing, collapsing pensions, and a broken cedi, the quiet feels like betrayal.

The facts are not in dispute. Ofori-Atta left Ghana in January. The OSP branded him a fugitive in February. His legal team promised cooperation, but by June 2nd he had failed to appear, triggering the reinstatement of fugitive status and the Interpol alert. The investigations are real: Strategic Mobilization Ghana contracts, ECG and BXC, National Cathedral procurement, the ambulance deal, and suspicious tax refund disbursements. The OSP rejected virtual interviews and demanded his physical presence. These are on the record.

What is not on the record is progress. Where is he? What cooperation has been sought from foreign governments? Has an extradition request been filed? Are courts abroad seized with this case, or are we waiting for some miracle of voluntary return? Has his medical evidence been independently verified, or are we once again swallowing letters at face value because of who he is? These questions matter because silence only serves the morally bankrupt elite, who have long mastered the art of delay, distraction, and deception.

Ken Ofori-Atta’s family insists he is not running. But his body is in America, while his fingerprints remain on Ghana’s broken economy. They say he is ready for a Zoom call, yet when it served his reputation he had no trouble attending summits, sitting on boards, and granting interviews. Illness is serious, but illness is not immunity. And certainly not immunity from accountability. Ghana’s justice system cannot become a playground where excuses are currency and privilege is due process.

If this were a young man from Madina accused of stealing public funds, would the courts wait for surgery abroad? Would Interpol be asked to consider character references from his family? Or would his face already be on the evening news, mugshot and all?

Justice cannot vanish into thin air when the accused is powerful. The OSP declared him a fugitive. Interpol issued the notice. The people are owed more than silence. If there are diplomatic hurdles, explain them. If there are legal obstacles, disclose them. If the case has stalled, admit it. What cannot continue is this deadly quiet, because justice unseen is justice undone.

This is not about vengeance. It is about precedent. If the man who presided over Ghana’s worst economic collapse can slip through the cracks of law and diplomacy, then Ghana has declared open season for impunity. We are not asking for theatre. We are asking for accountability, transparently pursued, and regularly explained to the public. We are done being polite. Ghana deserves justice without delay, without performance, and without apology.

Reset Ghana. Strip the facade. Let justice breathe.

Authored by Kay Codjoe
contact@kaycodjoe.com