By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
The criminal trial of former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is set to resume on Thursday, August 27, 2026, after the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act of 2017. The Office of the Special Prosecutor announced the resumption date following a pivotal judicial decision that removes major legal hurdles which had stalled high-profile anti-corruption proceedings across the West African nation since April.
Legal Obstacles Overturned
Judicial proceedings had stalled earlier in the year after a High Court decision questioned the independent prosecutorial mandate of the anti-corruption agency. The recent Supreme Court verdict overrides those prior doubts entirely, restoring the agency’s authority to investigate and prosecute offenses without prior authorization. With the legal framework reaffirmed, the path is cleared for the scheduled August courtroom proceedings.
Charges and Co-Defendants
The charges against Mr. Ofori-Atta stem from an extensive inquiry into revenue assurance agreements between Strategic Mobilisation Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority. Mr. Ofori-Atta was initially charged alongside seven other individuals on seventy-eight counts in November 2025 before prosecutors streamlined the filings to twenty-eight counts for the former minister.
The broader case implicates multiple key figures from both public and private sectors. The other defendants include former Ghana Revenue Authority Commissioners-General Emmanuel Kofi Nti and Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, alongside former Customs Commissioners Isaac Crentsil and Kwadwo Damoah. Strategic Mobilisation Limited Chief Executive Officer Evans Adusei and former Chief of Cabinet Ernest Darko Akore complete the roster of co-accused individuals. Prosecutors assert that these parties engaged in systemic corruption connected to the revenue assurance contracts, which have generated immense public interest due to their financial magnitude.
International Residency Status
Parallel legal developments have unfolded overseas regarding the former minister’s residency status. Defense counsel announced in June 2026 that a United States Immigration Court approved an adjustment of status application, granting him permanent residency in the United States. This foreign legal outcome sparked intense domestic debate in Ghana concerning his availability for trial.
Agency Position on Foreign Proceedings
The anti-corruption agency has formally addressed public interpretations of the American immigration ruling, rejecting assertions that the foreign residency decision exonerates the former minister from local charges. Officials emphasized that the agency was not a party to the United States immigration hearings, noting that international efforts focus strictly on separate extradition proceedings coordinated through the Attorney General.
Additionally, the agency clarified that formal extradition documents were never submitted to the United States Immigration Court. The anti-corruption body cautioned the public against treating foreign immigration findings as a final verdict on the local case, stating that the immigration decision does not determine the credibility or strength of the evidence underpinning the criminal charges in Ghana. With domestic legal obstacles now settled by the Supreme Court, attention pivots entirely back to the courtroom.
