It is a normal practice for law enforcement bodies such as the Ghana Police Service to issue wanted notices for persons being pursued for various criminal offences.
However, the unprecedented declaration of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as a wanted fugitive in one of the top high-profile cases in the Fourth Republic by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in February 2025 cast a spotlight on how investigative bodies manage individuals who fail to cooperate with ongoing cases.
The OSP said he had failed to honour multiple summons for questioning related to several corruption allegations, including those concerning Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contracts, the National Cathedral project, and others.
This declaration was widely publicised via an OSP press release. Mr Ofori-Atta’s name was subsequently removed from this status after he communicated a firm date for his voluntary return to Ghana, which was set for today, June 2, 2025. Failure to appear would trigger a re-declaration and a potential INTERPOL Red Notice.
Now trending, taking centre stage in media discussions (both traditional and new) and on the streets again, is the word “Wanted” as the ultimatum issued to Mr Ofori-Atta elapses today.
With sudden public interest on the matter, many Ghanaians have expressed curiosity about whether other individuals might secretly be on the OSP’s list of wanted persons, beyond those cases that gain significant media attention.
READ ALSO: Lawyer urges Ken Ofori-Atta to submit to OSP investigation amid public concern
The OSP uses targeted press releases to declare individuals wanted or fugitives from justice on a case-by-case basis and maintains a public “wanted persons” directory on its website.
As of midday on the deadline set for Mr Ofori-Atta, there were four persons officially wanted by the anti-graft body.
Three males and one female are being pursued for various corruption and corruption-related offences.
They are: Derrick Asomang, 37; Anthony Gyasi, 34; Sadia Alhassan, 41; and Francis Asare, 27.
The details of the suspects and the reasons for being on the “Wanted” list are boldly displayed on the official website of the OSP, together with their photos.
These individuals are part of active investigations and may be subject to arrest or prosecution after evading legal processes.
The OSP’s mandate, established under the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), empowers it to investigate and prosecute specific cases of corruption and corruption-related offences, recover proceeds of corruption, and take steps to prevent it.
Its declarations, such as “wanted person” or “fugitive from justice”, are tools used to compel cooperation and ensure accountability, particularly when subjects attempt to elude the investigative process.
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