Ghana’s legal framework for issuing Interpol Red Notices requires rigorous domestic and international compliance, as highlighted by recent discussions surrounding former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The National Central Bureau (NCB), operating within the Criminal Investigations Department, serves exclusively as Ghana’s liaison to Interpol without independent judicial authority. All requests must originate from competent authorities like the Office of the Special Prosecutor or Attorney-General’s Department.
Five legal conditions govern Red Notice submissions: a valid domestic arrest warrant for offenses carrying at least two years’ imprisonment; non-political grounds per Interpol’s Article 3; adherence to human rights standards; sufficient evidential basis; and mandatory approval by Ghana’s Attorney-General.
International lawyer Amanda Clinton confirmed, “In Ghana, the Attorney-General has to minute his approval before a Red Notice request can proceed through the NCB.”
Red Notices remain procedurally valid even when a subject’s location is known, functioning as detention alerts and extradition groundwork. However, legal experts note that known locations in cooperative jurisdictions like the United States, where Ofori-Atta reportedly received medical care—typically warrant direct mutual legal assistance or extradition proceedings instead.
Interpol maintains internal review mechanisms to verify all notices against its constitutional standards before global circulation.
