The Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has described the charges brought against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as lacking seriousness.
Speaking on TV3’s Key Points current affairs programme on Saturday, January 17, 2026, the legal practitioner questioned the credibility of the prosecution, arguing that the sheer number of charges undermines the case.
“I have said publicly that any prosecutor who charges in a high-profile case like this with over seventy-eight charges is not serious,” Bentil stated.
He further explained that poor decision-making in government does not automatically amount to criminal conduct.
“I don’t think the charges are serious. Making bad decisions in government is not a crime unless it can be proven that the decisions were made to corruptly benefit oneself, cause financial loss to the state, or were driven by criminal intent,” he said.
Mr Bentil reiterated his earlier suggestion that Ken Ofori-Atta could be charged and tried in absentia, noting that Ghanaian law permits such a process, as was done in the case of former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe. According to him, it is often easier to extradite a convicted person than someone who has not been formally tried.
He also claimed that the former Finance Minister is willing to return to Ghana to respond to the allegations but fears unfair treatment.
“I know that Ken would love to come back, but he is apprehensive about how he will be treated because of the kinds of things that have been said and done in the past year,” Bentil added.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has filed 78 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences against Ken Ofori-Atta, Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), and six other individuals.
Meanwhile, the former Finance Minister is expected to appear before a United States court on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, following confirmation by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that he is being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia.
ICE has described Mr Ofori-Atta as an “illegal alien” who overstayed his permitted period in the United States and may face extradition proceedings in the coming days.
