Interpol issues red notice for Ghana ex-finance minister

Interpol has issued a "red notice" for Ghana's former finance minister, according to website records reviewed Friday, as he faces accusations of using public office for personal gain.Ken Ofori-Atta is under investigation over a string of high-profile contracts, including deals related to Ghana's petroleum revenues, electricity supply, ambulance procurement and a controversial national cathedral project that, tens of millions of dollars later, has yielded little more than a hole in the ground excavated by construction crews.The Interpol notice follows a formal request by Ghana's Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which re-declared Ofori-Atta a wanted person on Monday after he failed to appear for a scheduled interrogation. Extradition proceedings are reportedly under way to return him to Ghana, though his exact location remains unclear as he reportedly seeks medical treatment abroad.A red notice is a request to police worldwide to arrest a suspect.The OSP is probing alleged misconduct ranging from improper procurement processes to financial mismanagement."We will not countenance this conduct, not in this case," Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng told local media on Monday.

The OSP insists Ofori-Atta must appear in person, rejecting requests from his legal team for a virtual session on medical grounds.Frank Davies, a member of Ofori-Atta's legal team, criticised the special prosecutor's approach."We submitted medical records in good faith, and the office has chosen to ignore them," Davies told AFP on Friday after the notice was issued. "The special prosecutor is not being sensitive to the issues at hand, especially knowing that Mr Ofori-Atta is unwell and receiving treatment."The new administration of President John Mahama has been on the heels of former government appointees to account for their tenure in office. The attorney-general is currently building 33 cases of corruption and related offences against former government appointees.Ofori-Atta served as former president Nana Akufo-Addo's finance minister for seven years.