Lawyer Theophilus Dzimegah Jnr says the removal of former Finance Minister, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta from INTERPOL’s Red Notice list does not amount to an acquittal and has urged the New Patriotic Party to ensure he returns to Ghana to answer questions about his time in office.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana with host Moro Awudu, the National Democratic Congress communication team member said the decision by the International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL, to delete the Red Notice should not be misconstrued as proof of innocence.
“Having been removed from Red Notice does not exonerate you. It does not make you less guilty, it does not make you more guilty, and it does not prove you innocent,” Dzimegah said.
He questioned why Mr Ofori-Atta was still outside the country if, as reported by the Daily Guide Newspaper, his location is now known and he is undergoing an immigration process, possibly extradition.
“Why is Ken Ofori Atta running away,” he asked. “If his location is known and he is under arrest and going through some immigration process, then there is no need to put him on Red Alert again.”
Dzimegah said his main concern is the political toll the situation could take on the New Patriotic Party if the former minister continues to stay away.
According to him, the longer Mr Ken Ofori-Atta remains a fugitive, the more the issue will be linked to the party’s record in government.
“The more Ken remains a fugitive, the more it will be tied to the NPP to say, bring your people to account for their stewardship,” he said.
He appealed directly to his co-panellist, Alfred Thompson, urging him to convey the message to party leadership to facilitate Mr Ofori-Atta’s return.
“It will be in the interest of Alfred Thompson to carry the message to the powers that be that let us get this man back so he can face the music squarely. He will have his day in court and prove himself either guilty or not guilty of all the charges levelled against him. Then the burden he has placed around the neck of the party will be removed,” Dzimegah added.
The comments follow confirmation that INTERPOL has permanently deleted the Red Notice issued against Mr Ofori-Atta.
In a statement dated February 13, 2026, his lawyers, OBB Premo Bonsu, Bruce Cathline and Partners, said the decision was taken by the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files during its 135th session.
According to the legal team, the Commission concluded that the Red Notice appeared to be of a predominantly political character and was not compliant with INTERPOL’s rules. It therefore ordered that the data be deleted from the INTERPOL information system.
The Commission said that after a thorough examination of the material before it, it found that the challenged data did not comply with its rules and should be removed from its database.
While the deletion means Mr Ofori-Atta is no longer subject to an international alert through INTERPOL systems, Dzimegah maintains that the substantive legal and political questions surrounding his tenure as Finance Minister remain unresolved and must be addressed in court.
