The criminal trial of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and seven others over alleged corruption and corruption-related offences has once again been adjourned, this time to April 23, 2026.
The case, officially titled Republic v. Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta & 7 Others, came up for a Case Management Conference at the High Court on Thursday, March 26, 2026, but could not proceed as planned due to the absence of the first and second accused persons.
Principal State Prosecutor Adelaide Kobiri-Woode informed the court that processes to serve criminal summons and charge sheets on Ofori-Atta (A1) and Ernest Darko Akore (A2) were yet to be completed. She added that efforts to extradite Ofori-Atta from the United States to Ghana were also still ongoing.
The other accused persons present in court were Emmanuel Kofi Nti, Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Isaac Crentsil, Kwadwo Damoah, Evans Adusei, and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), which was duly represented.
The prosecutor disclosed that the US Department of Justice had requested additional information through Mutual Legal Assistance, which Ghana had duly provided to facilitate the extradition process.
When trial judge Justice Francis Apanga Achibonga inquired whether the prosecution wished to proceed with the case against the accused persons present while separating the matter involving Ofori-Atta and Akore, the prosecutor firmly responded in the negative. She stressed that the State was prioritising the service of summons and charge sheets.
The court was also informed that three new witness statements had been filed by the prosecution on March 25, 2026, and had not yet been served on the accused. Justice Achibonga ordered that the statements be served promptly.
Defence counsel, led by Professor Kwame Gyan, pleaded with the court to discharge or grant a much longer adjournment for the third to eighth accused persons, who have consistently attended court and reported to the Office of the Special Prosecutor as directed.
Prof. Gyan argued that it was uncertain when the extradition and service processes would be completed, describing the repeated monthly appearances as burdensome. He assured the court that the accused would make themselves available whenever the case was ready to proceed.
Another defence lawyer, Mr Addo Atuah, supported the plea, noting that the accused are mostly retirees and that the cost of prosecution should be kept reasonable. He suggested either discharging them or fixing a longer adjournment date.
The prosecution, while agreeing that processes should be expedited, opposed the discharge, insisting the accused had not appeared excessively.
Justice Achibonga ruled that it remained the prerogative of the prosecution to decide how to proceed, but the court would ensure justice is served. He declined to discharge the third to eighth accused but adjourned the matter to April 23, 2026, for the Case Management Conference to continue.
The case involves multiple charges, including causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit, and other corruption-related offences allegedly committed during Ofori-Atta’s tenure as Finance Minister.
Ofori-Atta, who is currently in the United States, has been the subject of ongoing extradition efforts by Ghanaian authorities.
