Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is scheduled to undergo surgery on June 13, 2025, at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in the United States, according to a medical letter published by Asaase Radio.
The letter, purportedly from the Urology Department at the Mayo Clinic, details a diagnosis made following a series of diagnostic tests including MRI scans and a biopsy. Dr. Paras Shah is named as the lead surgeon for the procedure, with the letter indicating that Ofori-Atta will require a recovery period post-surgery before returning to Ghana.
However, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is disputing the validity of this information, stating in a press release that it has not received any official or certified medical documentation confirming the former minister’s condition or inability to return to Ghana.
“To date, no certified medical records or official document from any hospital authority has been submitted to the OSP indicating that Mr. Ofori-Atta is incapacitated or unable to travel to Ghana,” the OSP stated on June 3.
The tension between the two parties escalated after the OSP declared Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive from justice, citing his failure to appear for questioning over alleged financial misconduct during his time as Finance Minister.
In a press briefing held on June 2, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng confirmed receiving a letter from Ofori-Atta’s lawyers dated May 28, which informed the OSP of the cancer diagnosis and scheduled surgery. However, he maintained that the communication lacked official corroboration.
“A suspect in a criminal investigation does not pick and choose how the investigative body conducts its investigations and the methods suitable to him and his convenience,” Mr. Agyebeng said. “We will not countenance this conduct, not in this case.”
The OSP also criticized the public release of the medical letter through Asaase Radio—a media outlet co-founded by Ofori-Atta’s relative and former legal counsel, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko—rather than submitting the documentation through formal legal channels.
“The only correspondence received from his legal representatives is a letter notifying the OSP of a change in his medical condition and on their say so,” the statement emphasized. “It is notable that the purported medical letter has been circulated in the media rather than submitted officially.”
Ofori-Atta is currently under investigation by the OSP for alleged financial impropriety during his ministerial tenure, one of the most high-profile cases since the creation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
