Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has publicly accused the current Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and its head of misconduct, unprofessionalism, and pursuing a “persecutorial” approach in their investigation of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
In an open letter dated June 10, 2025, Amidu expressed grave concerns regarding the integrity of the current Special Prosecutor, particularly surrounding a reportedly issued and possibly revoked arrest warrant for Ofori-Atta. Amidu stated, “The public has the right to know the level of integrity of the OSP, and in particular that of the SP who is expected to be of high moral character and proven integrity.”
He highlighted his own reputation for meticulous case detail tracking and urged lawyers and citizens to verify the arrest warrant’s status at the issuing court to expose any procedural failures.
Amidu’s intervention follows public controversy sparked when the current Special Prosecutor, on June 1, 2025, warned Ofori-Atta to appear before the OSP or face punitive consequences. Amidu countered that Ofori-Atta’s lawyers had served the OSP with court documents, including medical records indicating the former minister was scheduled for surgery in the United States, as early as May 27.
“Once there is evidence of service… upon the OSP, it is irrelevant when the lawyers… forwarded a copy of the medical report,” Amidu asserted. He referenced a now-public medical document dated May 14, signed by Dr. Ahmed Abdalrhim of the Mayo Clinic.
Amidu strongly criticized the OSP’s June 2 press conference where the Special Prosecutor denied seeing any medical report and a senior OSP official dismissed it as an “afterthought.” “Unless the OSP and the SP were persecuting the suspect,” Amidu wrote, “they are deemed to have had notice of the medical records from the date of service… which is alleged to be on or before 28 May 2025.”
He argued that if genuinely unaware or doubtful of the medical excuse, the Special Prosecutor could have sought clarification from Ofori-Atta’s legal team or the treating hospital directly. Instead, Amidu accused the OSP of publicly disclosing sensitive health details without verification, calling it “a blatant abuse of power.” He further contended that if the SP failed to request details due to “bloated ego,” it confirmed “the incompetence and lack of professional acumen of the SP.”
This public condemnation from Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor intensifies scrutiny of the OSP’s methods, raising critical questions about balancing anti-corruption efforts with due process and human rights protections.
The OSP’s response to these allegations and the ongoing legal challenges is anticipated amid growing concerns over the institution’s operational transparency and integrity, highlighting the inherent tensions within independent anti-corruption bodies operating under intense public expectation.
