Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has warned Ghana’s current administration and anti-corruption authorities against repeating historical missteps in their handling of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s case.
In an open letter, Amidu invoked the 2001 treatment of late Deputy Finance Minister Victor Selormey as a cautionary tale, referencing Selormey’s forced return from medical treatment abroad, subsequent arrest, and death shortly after receiving a presidential pardon.
“Memory lane will remind Ghanaians that the late Victor Selormey was put under needless pressure to return home while abroad seeking medical attention for serious cardiac problems,” Amidu stated, describing Selormey’s arrest upon arrival by security forces on April 15, 2001.
He attributed responsibility to former President John Kufuor and then-Attorney General Nana Akufo-Addo, labeling the incident a “callous attitude.”
Amidu specifically urged the National Democratic Congress government and Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng to avoid similar approaches with Ofori-Atta, who is currently receiving medical treatment overseas while facing corruption investigations.
“The NDC should not allow Kissi Agyebeng to repeat that callous attitude to any Ghanaian citizen under suspicion of crime who is presumed innocent when seriously ill abroad,” he wrote.
The intervention comes amid ongoing legal proceedings regarding Ofori-Atta’s status, with the Human Rights Court expected to rule this month on his “wanted person” designation. High-profile corruption cases involving former officials continue to test Ghana’s judicial processes across political transitions.
