The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has issued a detailed statement rejecting claims made by the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai,
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has issued a detailed statement rejecting claims made by the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, that it has failed to cooperate with the Attorney-General’s Department in the ongoing extradition process for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who is currently residing in the United States.
The OSP’s sharp rebuttal, released on October 20, 2025, follows recent comments by Dr. Srem-Sai during an interview on GHOne TV, where he alleged that the Attorney-General’s office had written “several letters” to the OSP requesting the investigative docket on Ofori-Atta but had received no response.
Srem-Sai accused the OSP of deliberately stalling the extradition process by refusing to release the necessary case docket.
According to Dr. Srem-Sai, despite several written requests and reminders, the OSP has failed to furnish the A-G’s office with the required documentation to formally initiate extradition proceedings.
“The Attorney-General’s Department has written several letters to the OSP, seeking Ken Ofori-Atta’s docket to trigger his extradition from the U.S., but to no avail,” Dr. Srem-Sai disclosed.
He explained that while the OSP has successfully placed Ofori-Atta on an Interpol Red Notice—an international alert that marks him as a wanted person—the alert itself does not amount to a lawful extradition request.
Under Ghanaian law, he said, only the Attorney-General’s office possesses the authority to file an extradition request with a foreign government.
“We are the only authority that can make an extradition request. But to do that, we need an investigative docket from the OSP, complete with evidence and charges. As of today, we still do not have it,” Dr. Srem-Sai emphasized.
OSP Returns Fire
In the OSP’s view, the remarks were misleading and risked undermining public confidence in ongoing investigations.
The anti-graft agency said the comments had compelled it to “provide factual clarity” and correct misconceptions about the status of the case, the legal procedures involved, and the coordination between state institutions.
Background of the Ofori-Atta Case
According to the OSP, its investigation into Ofori-Atta began in early 2025 under the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The probe centers on alleged corruption, procurement irregularities, and abuse of office during his tenure as Finance Minister between 2017 and 2024.
The former minister was officially notified of the investigation and invited to appear for questioning but reportedly fled the jurisdiction in January 2025.
The OSP said subsequent intelligence confirmed that Ofori-Atta had been residing in the United States and had refused to voluntarily return to Ghana to cooperate with investigators.
To compel his return, the OSP obtained a judicial warrant of arrest by the end of May 2025 and formally declared him a fugitive from justice.
His name was subsequently placed on the OSP’s List of Wanted Persons, a move Ofori-Atta challenged unsuccessfully in court.
In June 2025, the OSP secured an INTERPOL Red Notice against the former minister, officially alerting law enforcement agencies worldwide of his wanted status.
How the Extradition Process Began
The OSP explained that on June 2, 2025, it formally triggered extradition proceedings through the Office of the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, seeking assistance under international cooperation frameworks to secure the “provisional apprehension and extradition” of Ofori-Atta.
The following day, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, transmitted the OSP’s request to the Attorney-General’s Department, which serves as the Central Authority under mutual legal assistance treaties.
On June 13, 2025, the Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, acknowledged receipt of the extradition request and asked the OSP to provide two officers for a joint prosecution team, along with a copy of the full case docket.
The OSP responded on June 20, 2025, nominating two senior officials — Director Albert Akurugu and Senior Prosecutor Kaiser Francis Amedome Wilson — to join the inter-agency team.
However, it explained that it was still compiling and securing the full investigative docket, which had expanded following a major search and seizure operation at Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) on June 10, 2025, in collaboration with National Security.
The discovery of new evidence, the OSP said, required an extension of its investigations and a careful “boarding-up” of multiple case files before submission to the Attorney-General.
Leak of Sensitive Documents and Security Concerns
The OSP revealed that on the night of October 16, 2025, classified correspondence among the Special Prosecutor, the Chief of Staff, and the Attorney-General was leaked on social media, accompanied by commentary suggesting that the OSP was deliberately obstructing the A-G’s efforts.
The OSP described the leak as “deeply troubling,” noting that it contained highly sensitive national security information and endangered the safety of personnel and the integrity of the investigation.
The office categorically denied responsibility for the leak, insisting that it did not originate from within the OSP.
“The OSP confidently states that the leakage of official documents did not arise from its end,” the statement emphasized.
OSP Denies Frustrating the Extradition
Rejecting the Deputy Attorney-General’s assertions, the OSP maintained that it was the first institution to initiate the extradition process for Ofori-Atta and therefore had no incentive to frustrate its own request.
“The OSP is not frustrating and will not frustrate its own extradition request,” the statement read. “There is absolutely no reason for the Attorney-General’s Department to feel frustrated in a matter it is not substantively involved in regarding the investigation and prosecution of suspected persons.”
No Rift Between OSP and Attorney-General
Contrary to growing speculation about institutional rivalry, the OSP said it maintained cordial and cooperative relations with the Attorney-General’s Department, emphasizing that their roles are distinct but complementary arms of Ghana’s justice system.
“Differences in function do not imply conflict; they ensure accountability through procedural checks and balances,” the OSP noted.
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