The criminal proceedings involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and seven others, accused of corruption and related offences, were on Thursday postponed to April 23, 2026. This followed a submission by the State’s Principal Prosecutor, Adelaide Kobiri-Woode, who informed the court that the process of serving Ofori-Atta (the first accused) and Ernest Darko Akore (the second accused) with criminal summons and charge sheets had not yet been finalized.
The court was further told that the extradition of Ofori-Atta from the United States to Ghana to stand trial remains incomplete.
The remaining defendants are Emmanuel Kofi Nti, Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Isaac Crentsil, Kwadwo Damoah, and Evans Adusei, all of whom were present in court, along with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), which was represented.
The prosecutor explained that the matter had earlier been adjourned for a Case Management Conference to set the stage for trial. However, the absence of the two accused persons prevented proceedings from moving forward.
She added that the U.S. Department of Justice had requested additional details on the case through Mutual Legal Assistance to support Ofori-Atta’s extradition, and the necessary information had been duly provided.
When Justice Francis Apanga Achibonga (JA) asked whether the State intended to continue with the case against the other accused persons while dropping charges against Ofori-Atta and Akore, the prosecutor firmly rejected the idea. She stressed that the State was “even more interested in serving the criminal summons and charge sheets than in the extradition.”
She also revealed that three new witness statements had been filed on March 25 but had not yet been served on the accused. The court ordered that they be delivered.
Representing the defence, Professor Kwame Gyan appealed to the court to either discharge or grant a longer adjournment for the six accused who were present, noting that they could be recalled once the prosecution was ready. He argued that there was “no human being” who could predict when the processes of extradition and service of summons would be completed.
Prof. Gyan reminded the court that, apart from Ofori-Atta and Akore, the other accused had “regularly and religiously” attended court and reported to the Office of the Special Prosecutor as directed. He cautioned that indefinite monthly appearances would weigh heavily on them, while discharging them would give the prosecution sufficient time to prepare. He assured the court that whenever the accused (A3 to A8) were summoned, they would appear.
Another defence lawyer, Mr. Addo Atuah, supported the plea, stressing that the cost of prosecuting accused persons should be kept minimal. He argued that releasing the accused, all of whom are retirees, would ease their financial strain, or alternatively, the court should grant extended adjournments.
The prosecution, while agreeing that the processes should be expedited, opposed the suggestion that the accused had appeared excessively and should therefore be discharged.
Justice Achibonga ruled that it was the prosecution’s prerogative to decide how to proceed, while the court’s duty was to ensure justice. He declined to discharge the third to eighth accused persons but granted a longer adjournment, setting the next Case Management Conference for April 23, 2026.
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