What next after Interpol issue red notice for Ghana 'fugitive' ex-minister?

Interpol don put Ghana former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta on red notice list on top accuse say e allegedly use public office for personal gain.

Dis dey come afta Ghanaian prosecutors declare am as wanted pesin and fugitive from justice, as e dey outside di kontri, ova im alleged involvement for plenty corruption cases wen e dey government.

Red notice no be arrest warrant but na request to police worldwide to detain pesin pending extradition.

Ofori-Atta, wey dem say dey out of di kontri for medical reasons, neva comment on di allegations, but e say dem dey treat am illegally.

AFP news agency wey quote Frank Davies, on Ofori-Atta legal team, condemn di prosecutor approach.

"We don submit medical records in good faith, and di office don choose to ignore dem," Oga Davies tell AFP.

"Di special prosecutor no dey sensitive to di issues wey dey ground, especially since e know say Ofori-Atta no well and e dey receive treatment."

Dem accuse di 65-year-old say e cause financial losses to di state.

Di allegations include questions ova procurement procedures for di building of one controversial national cathedral, wey remain as a hole for ground despite di alleged spending of $58m (£46.6m) of goment money.

Ofori-Atta lawyers don offer to represent am but di state prosecutor say dem no fit respond to criminal charges on behalf of dia client.

Ofori-Atta lawyers don offer to represent am but di state prosecutor say dem no fit respond to criminal charges on behalf of dia client.

For February, Ofori-Atta beg di Office of di Special Prosecutor (OSP) to remove im name from di wanted list and provide am a definite return date for May.

State prosecutor Kissi Agyabeng accept Ofori-Atta assurance and remove im name come di wanted list.

But for March, Ofori-Atta bin file one lawsuit, wia e claim unlawful treatment and request di removal of related content from di OSP social media platforms.

Early dis month, dem re-declare Ofori-Atta as wanted pesin and a fugitive from justice afta e fail to appear bifor one investigative panel.

Agyebeng later formally begin di Red Notice request, e ask for international help in tracking down di former official, local media report.

"We want am here physically, and we insist on am. Suspect for inside criminal investigation no dey pick and choose how di investigative body go conduct dia investigations," Agyebeng tok.

For di Red Notice released late Thursday, Interpol say Ofori-Atta dey wanted on charges of "using public office for profit".

Wetin e mean to dey on 'Interpol red list'

Red Notice na request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest pesin pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

E dey based on arrest warrant or court order wey judicial authorities issue from di kontri wey dey make di request.

Member kontris fit apply dia own laws in deciding weda to arrest di pesin.

Red Notices dey important bicos dem dey use am to alert police for all member kontris about internationally wanted fugitives.

Red Notices dey help bring fugitives to justice, sometimes many years afta dem commit di original crime.

Who be Ken Offori-Atta?

Offori-Atta na di finance minister from January 2017 to February 2024, wen di New Patriotic Party (NPP) bin dey for power.

Di NPP lost last December elections to di National Democratic Congress.

President John Mahama, wey dey inaugurated for January, bin go on to establish one investigative committee wey dey known as Operation Recover All Loot.

Di committee don receive ova 200 complaints of corruption, wey amount to more dan $20bn in recoverable funds.

Oga Mahama don direct di attorney general and minister of justice to launch investigations into dis allegations, e say Ghana no go be safe haven for corruption.

However, some Ghanaians don criticise am for say e stop di cases against im former allies on trial.