The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL Files (CCF) has removed the Red Notice issued against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, ruling that the alert was largely political and in breach of INTERPOL’s regulations.
In a public notice dated February 13, 2026, his lawyer, Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo Esq., said the decision was taken during the CCF’s 135th session on February 4, 2026. The commission found the notice “appears of a predominantly political character” and ordered its permanent deletion from INTERPOL’s database.
According to the statement, a detailed review determined that information submitted by the Ghana INTERPOL National Central Bureau did not meet the organisation’s rules and could not remain in its systems.
Under its constitution, INTERPOL is prohibited from intervening in matters of a political, military, religious or racial nature. The CCF operates independently to ensure compliance with these standards and to examine petitions concerning Red Notices and related alerts.
A Red Notice requests law-enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest an individual for possible extradition or similar legal action. Although it is not an international arrest warrant, it can significantly affect travel and reputation.
In June 2025, a red notice was issued for Ken Ofori-Atta by INTERPOL over various allegations of corruption after the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) formally initiated the process.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng announced the move at a press conference on Monday, June 2, 2025, following the expiry of an agreed date for interrogation.
The Office subsequently re-listed the former minister on its wanted persons list and declared him a fugitive from justice.
Agyebeng said the OSP would deploy all legal means to secure Ofori-Atta’s return to Ghana and indicated that criminal charges would be preferred in due course, either in absentia or otherwise.
Through his lawyers, Ofori-Atta, in a letter dated May 28, 2025, informed the OSP that he had been diagnosed with cancer and would be unable to meet the June 2 deadline.
However, the OSP denied receiving any medical report, responding to widespread media claims about a hospital letter suggesting the former official was unwell. In a statement issued Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the Office strongly refuted reports that it had been served with a medical document, describing them as misleading and potentially damaging to public confidence.
The Office also raised concern over the unauthorised circulation of what was alleged to be a confidential medical letter from a local hospital. It noted that no certified medical records or official hospital documents had been submitted indicating that Ofori-Atta was incapacitated or unable to travel to Ghana.
The OSP emphasised the importance of due process and urged the media to verify information before publication. It further questioned the motivations behind the leak, suggesting it could be part of an attempt to influence public perception or obstruct ongoing investigations.
Ken Ofori-Atta has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is scheduled to undergo surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in the United States.
