Office of the Special Prosecutor - Ghana

CASE UPDATE: The Republic v. Kenneth Ofori-Atta & 7 Others

The High Court in Accra today granted A6, Col. (Rtd).Kwadwo Damoah, Member of Parliament for Jaman South, leave to travel to London from 11–15 May 2026.

In opposing the application, the Republic argued that the supporting letter attached to the application originated from the Minority Caucus and not from Parliament as an institution.

The Republic further submitted that, given the circumstances, it would have been more appropriate for the letter to have emanated from the Speaker of Parliament to reflect official institutional endorsement of an official travel to London to attend a training programme.

The Republic also argued that another member of the Minority Caucus who is not standing trial could have been selected for the programme.

The Court acknowledged the Republic’s concerns regarding the source of the supporting letter but held that insufficient evidence had been presented to show that Col. Rtd. Kwadwo Damoah (A6) would abscond if permitted to travel.

The Court consequently granted the application, ordering A6 to depart Ghana on 9 May 2026 and return on or before 17 May 2026.

The High Court sitting in Tamale has informed both prosecutors and the accused persons that its judgment in Republic v. Sumaila Abdul Rahman & 3 Others is not yet ready. The case has therefore been adjourned to 29 May 2026.

The accused persons — Sumaila Abdul-Rahman (former Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Development Authority), Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen (former Deputy Chief Executive, Operations), Patrick Seidu (former Deputy Chief Executive, Finance and Administration), and Andrew Kuundaari (Chief Executive Officer of A&QS Consortium Ltd) — are standing trial on charges of corruption and related offences arising from procurement processes under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).

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Court case update: Republic vs Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta & 7

In court today, Prosecution informed the Judge that between the last adjourned date and today, there have been some Court proceedings particularly in General Jurisdiction Ten (Gu10) and the Supreme Court concerning the prosecutorial powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

Prosecution invited the Court to take Judicial notice of those Court processes and proceedings. Prosecution further stated that in view of current circumstances, OSP has taken steps to file a Notice of Appeal and Application for Stay of Ex*****on with the return date of 21 May 2026.

Prosecution prayed that the matter be adjourned pending determination of the Application for Stay. Lawyers for all accused persons present except Kenneth Ofori-Atta and his chief of staff Ernest Akore who remain fugitives with an extradition request and summons to issue directed at them in U.S. obliged Prosecution but, added that the return date be set reasonably further so they don't come back for more adjournments.

BY COURT:

"In the light of the decision of my learned brother sitting at Gu 10 and subsequent Notice of Appeal and Application for Stay of Ex*****on
filed by OSP and 21 May 2026 being the return date, it is only fair to adjourn the suit to a date after the return date.

In the circumstances it will be fair to adjourn the case to 26 May 2026."

Ends.

Tamale High Court to deliver judgment in NDA Corruption Trial today
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After nearly four (4) years of trial, the High Court (Criminal Division) in Tamale is set to deliver its judgment today in the case of The Republic v. Sumaila Abdul Rahman & 3 Others.

The accused persons — Sumaila Abdul-Rahman (former CEO of the Northern Development Authority), Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen (former Deputy CEO, Operations), Patrick Seidu (former Deputy CEO, Finance & Administration), and Andrew Kuundaari (CEO of A&QS Consortium Ltd) — are standing trial for corruption and corruption-related offences linked to procurement processes under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).

In the course of the trial, the accused persons filed a submission of no case, which was dismissed by the trial court. They subsequently appealed the ruling all the way to the Court of Appeal, but the appeal was dismissed in a unanimous decision, allowing the trial to proceed.

Following the close of the defence and the filing of final submissions, the court fixed today to deliver its judgment in the matter.

Court Case Update: The Republic v. Adjenim Boateng Adjei

Today in court, counsel for Adjenim Boateng Adjei raised an objection citing a High Court ruling which held that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) does not have prosecutorial powers.

The court adjourned proceedings to 17 June 2026, pending the determination of the OSP’s application for a stay of ex*****on, pending appeal.

The Center has commenced regional engagements on the Office of the Special Prosecutor - Ghana (OSP), building on insights from the recent National Dialogue and ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability and anti-corruption reforms in Ghana.

The engagements will occur in Tamale, Bolgatanga, Wa, Koforidua, Ho, Takoradi, Cape Coast, Ada, Sunyani, and Kumasi from April 21–30, 2026. The sessions will deepen public understanding of the OSP’s mandate, gather regional perspectives, and support the validation of findings from CDD-Ghana’s 8-year assessment of the OSP.

The dialogues are being organized with support from the Participation, Accountability, and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) program, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-financed by the European Union in Ghana (EU) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Ghana.

Court case update: Republic v. Mustapha Hamid & Others:

The High Court today refused an invitation to discharge the accused persons on grounds that the OSP has no prosecutorial powers - citing a High Court ruling dated 15 April 2026.

The Court noted the various ongoing proceedings relating to the OSP’s prosecutorial mandate and adjourned the trial to 26 May 2026, by which time there may be greater clarity.

Counsel for the accused argued that the OSP lacks prosecutorial authority to bring the charges. The OSP maintained that it possesses such authority under its enabling statutes - which are in force and operation and have not been repealed, amended, revoked or struck down.

Ends