The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF) has permanently removed the Red Notice issued against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, ruling that it was primarily political in nature and violated INTERPOL’s regulations. In a public statement dated February 13, 2026, Mr. Ofori-Atta’s counsel, Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo Esq, announced that during its 135th session on February 4, 2026, the CCF determined the notice “appears of a predominantly political character” and therefore did not comply with INTERPOL’s rules.
As a result, the commission ordered its permanent deletion from INTERPOL’s records. The statement further noted that, after a detailed review, the CCF found the data submitted by Ghana’s INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) failed to meet the organisation’s standards and should be expunged from its information system.
INTERPOL’s Constitution prohibits the organisation from undertaking any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character. The CCF is the independent body responsible for ensuring that data processed through INTERPOL’s channels comply with its rules and for reviewing requests concerning Red Notices and other alerts.
A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal action. While not an international arrest warrant, it often carries significant reputational and travel implications for the individual concerned.
Background
Mr. Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 until early 2024 under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had reportedly been the subject of investigations linked to his time in office. The circumstances surrounding the issuance of the Red Notice were tied to requests made through Ghana’s National Central Bureau to INTERPOL.
On June 2, 2025, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng initiated proceedings for the issuance of an INTERPOL Red Notice, which could have subjected former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to international arrest and extradition. The announcement, made at a press briefing in Accra that same day, followed Mr. Ofori-Atta’s repeated failure to respond to multiple invitations from the Office of the Special Prosecutor for questioning in ongoing corruption investigations. With the subsequent deletion of the Red Notice, Mr. Ofori-Atta’s information has been removed from INTERPOL’s database, ensuring that member states will no longer act on the withdrawn alert.
Source: Leticia Osei
