Private Legal Practitioner, Alfred Paapa Darkwah, has challenged the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over its decision to declare former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, wanted.
It follows the OSP officially declaring Mr Ofori-Atta wanted to multiple financial misconduct allegations.
According to the private legal practitioner, if the Special Prosecutor has enough evidence to prosecute Mr Ofori-Atta, he should proceed to court rather than issuing a wanted declaration.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, February 17, Darkwah questioned the legal basis of the OSP’s actions.
“I think what we should all be asking the OSP is, what is Ofori-Atta wanted for? What are the offenses that he has committed that justify this declaration? Does the OSP have enough evidence to proceed with prosecution? If yes, then the OSP should proceed to court and prosecute him,” he stated.
Read also: OSP issues wanted notice for ex-Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta
Mr Darkwah further argued that if the OSP believes it has a strong case, it should try Ofori-Atta in absentia rather than placing him on a wanted list.
“Absolutely, because with what is happening, you’d see that Mr. Ofori-Atta’s lawyers have made some correspondence with the OSP. They have informed the OSP of his whereabouts and the difficulty in his returning to the jurisdiction. If the OSP is not satisfied, why should it put him on a wanted list?” he questioned.
When asked whether the OSP has exceeded its legal authority, given that it has some powers akin to the police, Mr Darkwah responded:
“No, the powers that the OSP has as a police authority are based on reasonable grounds of suspicion that Mr. Ofori-Atta has committed an offense. So, the first thing is that there has to be an offense committed. Now, in all the correspondence from the OSP, do we know the offense that has been committed by him?”
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