A new wave of scrutiny has hit the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) following revelations surrounding the suspension and subsequent removal of a Red Notice issued for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, prompting wider national discussion about transparency in high-profile investigations.
The controversy deepened after former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu criticised the OSP for what he described as a failure to inform the public about key developments in the INTERPOL process. His comments have amplified existing concerns among legal analysts and civil society groups about the need for greater openness in the OSP’s handling of sensitive international communications.
Central to the debate is the disclosure—made only after journalists discovered that the Red Notice had been removed from INTERPOL’s online database—that INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files had, in October and early November 2025, officially notified Ghana of Ofori-Atta’s petition challenging the notice.
Observers say the timing of these undisclosed notifications, which coincided with rising public criticism of procedural lapses, raises questions about internal communication practices and crisis management within the OSP.
While the OSP has not issued a detailed explanation for the delay, Amidu argues that withholding such information risks eroding public confidence in the institution tasked with pursuing complex corruption cases. Transparency advocates also warn that gaps in communication—whether intentional or inadvertent—could weaken Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture at a time when public expectations for accountability are high.
As calls grow for the OSP to clarify its internal protocols for handling international notices and public updates, governance experts say the incident underscores the need for predictable, consistent information flow to safeguard the credibility of ongoing and future investigations.
