Private legal practitioner Yaw Dankwah has criticised the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Attorney General, accusing them of turning the corruption case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta into a political issue rather than a strictly legal matter.
Speaking on ABC In The Morning following reports of Mr Ofori-Atta’s U.S. Immigration court hearing yesterday, Mr Dankwah said the public handling of the case by state authorities risks undermining due process and fair trial guarantees.
“I blame the Special Prosecutor and the Attorney General for turning this issue into politics,” he stated, arguing that excessive public commentary and media briefings have created the impression that Mr Ofori-Atta is already being tried in the court of public opinion.
According to Mr Dankwah, if he were representing the former finance minister, he would raise serious concerns about the prospects of a fair trial should Mr Ofori-Atta return to Ghana under the current circumstances. “If I was his lawyer, I will be arguing that he will not get a fair trial if he returns to Ghana,” he said, citing what he described as prejudicial narratives surrounding the case.
He further advised the OSP and the Attorney General’s Department to exercise restraint in their public communications, especially as extradition processes are being contemplated. “They have to tone down on the information that comes out, not to make it look as if they are putting the person on trial,” Mr Dankwah cautioned.
Despite his criticisms, the lawyer noted that while Mr Ofori-Atta may explore all available legal avenues to delay extradition, accountability remains unavoidable. “He can delay for all he can, but he will have to return to Ghana and come and face the charges against him,” he said.
