The Deputy General Secretary of the United+ Party (UP), Nana Yaw Sarpong, has described the ongoing case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as “a test of Ghana’s commitment to equal justice,” calling for accountability and transparency from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and other state institutions involved.
Speaking on TV3’s New Day show, Nana Yaw Sarpong questioned the OSP’s handling of the case, particularly surrounding efforts to extradite the accused – Ken Ofori-Atta- believed to be residing in the United States.
“If it was an ordinary person like me, it wouldn’t have taken the OSP a week to bring me to Ghana,” Sarpong declared, implying selective justice and political bias in the case. “This case is a test of Ghana’s commitment to equal justice.”
The comments come amid growing public scrutiny over the extradition process and increasing pressure on the OSP to demonstrate independence and impartiality in high-profile corruption and financial crime cases.
Sarpong alleged a troubling relationship between the Office of the Special Prosecutor and Ken Ofori-Atta, suggesting this relationship may be impeding the pursuit of justice.
“There is a relationship between the OSP and the accused. Until that is dealt with, it’s going to be difficult for the OSP to act fairly,” – he claimed.
He expressed frustration at what he called delays and double standards and accused the OSP of knowing the exact location of the accused, contradicting public statements that his whereabouts are unknown.
“You cannot tell me you’ve gone to court with someone, and yet you claim you don’t know where he is,” he insisted. “You cannot file a lawsuit without an address. The courts have made this clear in previous rulings, including the NIB vs. Standard Offshore case.”
Sarpong also criticized recent public statements made by the accused’s lawyer, describing them as attempts to use legal jargon and “big English” to deflect from the real issues at stake.
“We pay the OSP with taxpayers’ money to deliver justice, not to make justifications on TV,” he said.
Calling on the Attorney General and the relevant authorities to act, Sarpong emphasized that the law must be applied equally, regardless of one’s status or political affiliations.
By Ebenezer Madugu
