The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has declared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta wanted on many financial malfeasance charges, which has alarmed private attorney Alfred Paapa Darkwah.
On Monday, February 17, Darkwah questioned the legal justification for the OSP's activities in an interview with Joy FM's Top Story. "It would be more appropriate to go straight to court instead of issuing a wanted declaration if the special prosecutor has enough evidence to prosecute Mr. Ofori-Atta," he said.
"What Ofori-Atta wanted, in my opinion, is what we should all be asking the OSP. What transgressions does he have that warrant this declaration? Does the OSP have sufficient proof to bring charges? If so, the OSP ought to go to court and bring charges against him, Darkwah clarified.
He said that rather than adding Ofori-Atta to a wanted list, the OSP needs to think about trying him in absentia if it thinks it has a strong case.
Indeed, given the current situation, it is certain that Mr. Ofori-Atta's attorneys had communicated with the OSP. His whereabouts and the challenges he has in returning to the jurisdiction have been communicated to the OSP. "Why should he be placed on a wanted list if the OSP is not satisfied?" he said.
Given that the OSP has some capabilities that are comparable to those of the police, Darkwah was asked if it had overreached its legal bounds.
"No, there are legitimate suspicions that Mr. Ofori-Atta has committed a crime, which is the foundation for the OSP's police authority. Therefore, the first need is that an offense be committed. Do we now know the infraction he has committed from all of the OSP's correspondence? Darkwah asked further questions.
SOURCE: www.adomonline.com