The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has disclosed that it is still awaiting official confirmation from authorities in the United States regarding the service of criminal charges on former Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta.
According to the OSP’s Director of Strategy, Research and Communications, Sammy Darko, the process of formally notifying Mr Ofori-Atta remains incomplete until Ghana receives confirmation from the U.S. Department of Justice that the documents have been successfully served.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story programme on Tuesday, June 16, Mr Darko explained that while a Ghanaian court has authorised the service of charges outside the country, the execution of that order depends on cooperation between legal authorities in both jurisdictions.
“As of now, we have not received any communication from the U.S. Department of Justice confirming that Mr Ofori-Atta has been served,” he said.
He outlined the procedure involved in serving court documents on an individual residing abroad, noting that once approval is granted by a court in Ghana, the request is forwarded through the Attorney General’s Department to the relevant authorities in the foreign jurisdiction for implementation.
Mr Darko indicated that the matter forms part of a broader international legal process that includes extradition-related considerations and requires adherence to established diplomatic and judicial protocols.
He stressed that these procedures are still ongoing and have not yet reached the stage where any U.S. court has been called upon to make a determination on the matter.
The OSP official’s comments follow claims by legal representatives of the former Finance Minister that neither he nor his lawyers have received any official notice of criminal charges.
Speaking earlier on Joy FM’s Midday News, counsel for Mr Ofori-Atta, Frank Davies, maintained that his client has not been formally informed of any charges and that no official documentation has been delivered to either the former minister or his legal team.
The differing positions have intensified public interest in the case, as attention turns to whether the legal processes initiated by Ghanaian authorities will be successfully executed through international channels.
For now, the OSP maintains that it is awaiting formal feedback from U.S. authorities before it can confirm that the service process has been completed.
