BY Issah Olegor
The criminal trial involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and seven others has been adjourned to April 23, 2026, after prosecutors told the court that key procedural steps—particularly the service of charges and ongoing extradition efforts—remain incomplete.
The adjournment underscores the growing complexity of a case now split between the criminal justice system and parallel legal proceedings in the United States.
At Thursday’s sitting, a Principal State Prosecutor, Adelaide Kobiri-Woode, informed the court that attempts to serve Ofori-Atta, the first accused, and his co-accused Ernest Darko Akore with criminal summons and charge sheets had not yet been successful.
Both men are currently outside Ghana, with Ofori-Atta in U.S. custody and Akore also reported to be in the U.S.
The prosecutor further disclosed that the process to extradite Ofori-Atta from the United States to Ghana is still ongoing and has not yet been finalised.
The prosecution revealed that the United States Department of Justice had requested additional information through Mutual Legal Assistance channels to support the extradition request. According to the State, the requested materials have since been provided, and authorities are awaiting further steps in the process.
The case, which was initially scheduled to proceed to trial following a Case Management Conference (CMC), could not advance due to the absence of the two key accused persons.
Prosecutors reiterated that their priority remains serving the criminal summons and charge sheets rather than abandoning proceedings against Ofori-Atta and Akore.
The remaining accused persons—Emmanuel Kofi Nti, Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Isaac Crentsil, Kwadwo Damoah, Evans Adusei, and the corporate entity Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML)—were all present in court and represented by their legal teams.
The charges against them relate to alleged corruption and procurement breaches tied to the controversial SML revenue assurance contract.
During proceedings, the court was also informed that the State had filed three additional witness statements on March 25, 2026, which had not yet been served on the accused persons.
The trial judge, Justice Francis Apanga Achibonga, directed that the witness statements be served to ensure procedural fairness.
Counsel for the defence, led by Professor Kwame Gyan, urged the court to discharge the third to eighth accused persons or, alternatively, grant a significantly longer adjournment.
He argued that the indefinite delays—driven largely by the absence of Ofori-Atta and Akore—were placing an undue burden on the remaining accused, who have consistently complied with court directives and reporting requirements to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Professor Gyan stressed that there was no clear timeline for completing the extradition process or effecting service of court documents abroad.
He maintained that discharging the accused persons would allow the prosecution sufficient time to prepare its case without subjecting them to repeated court appearances. He assured the court that his clients would return whenever required.
Supporting the application, defence counsel Addo Atuah highlighted the financial and personal toll on the accused persons—many of whom are retirees—arguing that prolonged court appearances without substantive progress impose unnecessary costs and hardship.
The prosecution, however, opposed the request for discharge, insisting that while the process must be expedited, the number of court appearances so far did not justify releasing the accused persons from the case. The State maintained that all accused individuals remain central to the prosecution’s case.
In his ruling, Justice Achibonga affirmed that it is within the prosecution’s discretion to determine how to proceed with its case, while the court’s responsibility is to ensure justice is delivered fairly.
He declined to discharge the accused persons but granted a longer adjournment, setting April 23, 2026, for the continuation of the Case Management Conference.
