Former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta has been removed from Interpol’s public Red Notice database, according to checks conducted on November 19, 2025. The notice, which had been issued on June 5, 2025, followed a request from Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) alleging misuse of public office for profit.
The family of Ofori-Atta petitioned Interpol’s Commission for the Control of Files on June 9, 2025, challenging the alert. The Commission oversees Red Notice requests and ensures they comply with Interpol rules, which require that such alerts be backed by legal proceedings and not involve political, military, religious, or racial issues.
While the public notice of the Red Notice’s removal has sparked headlines, the OSP clarified that the matter is still under review. Additional submissions by Ofori-Atta are being considered, with Ghanaian authorities directed to respond by November 21, 2025.
Separately, Ofori-Atta and seven others face a total of 78 criminal charges in Ghana, primarily linked to the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited procurement case. Other ongoing investigations involving the former minister include contracts for petroleum revenue assurance, procurement of 307 ambulances, the National Cathedral project, electricity sector contract terminations, and the management of the GRA Tax P-Fund.
With the Red Notice removed, Ofori-Atta is no longer at risk of provisional arrest in Interpol’s 196 member countries, but the criminal proceedings in Ghana continue. The OSP has urged the public to disregard claims that the Interpol issue has been fully resolved, calling such reports inaccurate.
