The High Court in Accra has granted the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) a four-week extension to complete efforts to serve former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and his former Chief of Cabinet, Ernest Darko Akore, with summons in the United States. This development has resulted in the adjournment of the case to October 29, 2026. The OSP had traveled to the US to engage with the Department of Justice regarding the service of the summons but had not returned to Ghana by the time of the court's sitting on September 29.
Ken Ofori-Atta faces 28 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences, stemming from an investigation into revenue assurance arrangements between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). The OSP alleges that the accused persons, including Ofori-Atta, were involved in corruption connected to these arrangements, resulting in financial losses exceeding GH¢1.4 billion. Other accused persons include former GRA Commissioners-General Emmanuel Kofi Nti and Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, and SML Chief Executive Officer Evans Adusei.
At the previous hearing on August 27, 2026, the case was adjourned to September 29, 2026, to allow the prosecution time to serve Ofori-Atta and Akore with the necessary processes in the US. Those who have been served with summons and have appeared before the court have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The OSP's investigation focused on revenue assurance arrangements between SML and the GRA.
The case is part of a broader set of prosecutions by the OSP that had been impacted by legal challenges to the Office's prosecutorial powers. In April 2026, a High Court ruling questioned the OSP's authority to prosecute independently of the Attorney-General, stalling proceedings in several cases. However, the Supreme Court subsequently upheld the constitutional validity of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The OSP's efforts to serve Ofori-Atta and Akore with summons in the US are crucial to the progression of the case. The prosecution had informed the court that their team was still in the US, engaging with the Department of Justice, and required additional time to complete the necessary processes. The court's grant of a four-week extension allows the OSP to finalize these efforts.
The allegations against Ofori-Atta and the other accused persons are serious, with the OSP claiming that they were involved in corruption and corruption-related offences connected to the SML-GRA revenue assurance arrangements. If convicted, the accused persons could face significant penalties. The case will continue on October 29, 2026.
The OSP's investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate its commitment to tackling corruption and related offences in Ghana. The Office's efforts to serve Ofori-Atta and Akore with summons in the US are a critical step in ensuring that those accused of corruption are held accountable for their actions.
Key points
- The High Court has granted the OSP a four-week extension to serve Ken Ofori-Atta and Ernest Darko Akore with summons in the US.
- Ken Ofori-Atta faces 28 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences related to revenue assurance arrangements between SML and the GRA.
- The case has been adjourned to October 29, 2026, to allow the prosecution time to complete the necessary processes.
