By: Deborah Pofara Luu
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has condemned the recent raid on the residence of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, emphasizing that the Minority Caucus supports holding Ofori-Atta accountable through proper legal channels.
Mr, Afenyo-Markin stated in Parliament on Wednesday, February 12, that while they have issues with the raid, they are not against the Finance Minister being held accountable.
“We are talking about the mode of the raid of the arrest,” he said. “We are not saying that if the state has evidence against Ken Ofori Atta, you should try him”. He further asserted that Ofori-Atta should have access to his lawyers and due process.
The raid, which occurred on Monday, February 11, involved individuals in military and police uniforms, allegedly storming Ofori-Atta’s residence while he was out of the country. Mr. Ofori-Atta had reportedly informed the Chief of Staff of his absence and received approval to travel.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has denied any involvement in the raid, suggesting it may have been staged to discredit his office. Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has declared Ofori-Atta a wanted person in connection with several cases, including a loss reduction contract, procurement issues related to the National Cathedral, contracts awarded by the Health Ministry, and the SML-GRA deal.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin maintained that the raid was unlawful, stating, “there was no such law supporting the actions. The contention here was that the man’s home was raided unlawfully. That conduct was unconstitutional…we are not sending the right signals to the electorates”.
Bolgatanga Central Lawmaker Isaac Adongo, however, described Ofori-Atta as “the biggest perceived enemy of our economy,” accusing him of plunging Ghana into severe economic difficulties.
Former Minister of Defence Dominic Nitiwul criticized the use of soldiers in the raid, suggesting that the police or National Security operatives should have been involved.
The lawyers of Ofori-Atta have responded to the OSP, stating that Ofori-Atta is out of the country on medical grounds and will return to cooperate with investigations upon his return.
