The Director of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe, has assured that the constitutional rights of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, would not be violated should he voluntarily return to Ghana.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr Tamakloe stressed that the rights of an accused person must always be respected, noting that Ghana’s legal system guarantees due process.
“The rights afforded to an accused person should never be undermined. If Ken voluntarily comes to Ghana, his constitutional rights will be respected. The current Attorney General, having passed through the University of Ghana Law School, understands the importance of upholding the law,” he said.
According to him, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has not shown any preconceived intention to persecute Mr Ofori-Atta, adding that investigations could even result in the former minister being treated as a prosecution witness rather than an accused person.
Mr Tamakloe argued that accountability processes are best carried out when the individual involved is present to offer their side of the story.
He also criticised what he described as a breach of good faith, explaining that although Mr Ofori-Atta’s lawyers initially informed the OSP that he was in the United States for medical reasons and would return within a specified timeline, subsequent reports about efforts to adjust his residency status raised concerns.
“We should avoid creating the impression that there is only one inevitable conclusion in a criminal case. It is Ken who has complicated matters for law enforcement by not allowing them to fully consider his side of the story,” he stated.
Mr Tamakloe rejected claims of bias against the OSP, insisting there is no indication that investigators have a predetermined outcome.
“Unless the investigators have a preconceived conclusion, which I do not believe is the case, I don’t think the Office of the Special Prosecutor is out to target Ken Ofori-Atta. It would be inappropriate to claim bias based solely on conjecture. It’s worth noting that the individual prosecuting him was appointed while he served as finance minister,” he added.
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