Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has clarified that Ghana cannot proceed with an extradition request for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from the United States until the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) completes a solid legal case backed by evidence and formal charges.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra, Dr. Ayine explained that international extradition, especially involving the U.S., requires strict adherence to legal procedures and documentation.
“When doing extradition, you cannot request unless you have a solid case, a docket that has been built.
“And in the case of the Americans, the practice is for you to have filed charges,” he stated.
Dr. Ayine noted that his office is yet to receive the necessary case file from the OSP to begin the formal process.
“Without a docket, we cannot make the request. So we are still waiting for the docket. That is all I can say for now,” he added.
The Attorney General emphasized that while his department collaborates closely with the OSP, the law mandates that extradition requests be supported by tangible evidence and established charges, not mere correspondence.
“I respect the autonomy of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, but we in the Attorney General’s Department cannot begin an extradition request with a bare letter.
“We need the evidence to be able to do so,” Dr. Ayine reiterated.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
