John Abdulai Jinapor, the Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu
John Abdulai Jinapor, the Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu, explained the meaning of “fugitive” in local dialects to the public on the floor of Parliament on February 12, 2025.
Reacting to the latest development from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which declared former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive and wanted by the state over corruption and related offenses, Jinapor provided clarification.
“Mr. Speaker, let me explain something. The OSP has declared Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive. In our local language, that means “ode ne ho aka nwura,” or to put it simply, wagye bam,” he stated.
He added, “To put it in even simpler terms, in the Hausa language, it is Yaagudu.”
“…Mr. Speaker, we should not be afraid of accountability.”
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has officially declared former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, a suspect in four high-profile corruption investigations.
These include cases related to the National Cathedral project, Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML), and two other undisclosed matters.
Speaking at a press briefing on February 12, 2025, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng announced that Ken Ofori-Atta is now considered a wanted fugitive.
He urged the former minister to return to Ghana immediately to face questioning, warning that failure to comply would result in legal measures to compel his return.
Agyebeng dismissed claims that Ofori-Atta had left the country for medical treatment, insisting that he must cooperate with ongoing investigations.
He also refuted reports that the OSP had raided Ofori-Atta’s residence on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, alleging instead that the former minister orchestrated the incident to mislead the public and discredit the investigations.
Ken Ofori-Atta joins a growing list of former government appointees currently under investigation for alleged financial misconduct.
The Ghanaian public and international observers are closely monitoring these unfolding events, as the state intensifies efforts to bring the suspects to justice.
AM/KA