Court adjourns Ofori-Atta corruption case to October 29 as prosecution seeks more time

Pinned summary · as of 15:29

A High Court in Accra postponed the corruption case against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and seven other defendants on Tuesday, giving prosecutors more time to reach two of the accused in the United States. The court set October 29 as the next hearing date.

What we know

• Ken Ofori-Atta faces 28 counts of corruption and related offences, according to charges brought by the Office of the Special Prosecutor stemming from enquiries into revenue assurance contracts between Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
• The other seven defendants include two former revenue authority commissioners-general, two former customs commissioners, and the chief executive and the company itself. Those who have appeared in court and been served with summons have pleaded not guilty.
• The Special Prosecutor alleges the accused were party to irregular revenue assurance dealings that cost the state more than GH₵1.4 billion.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  A team from the prosecution travelled to the United States to work with American authorities on serving Ofori-Atta and Ernest Darko Akore with court papers; the court granted a further four weeks to complete this task, MyJoyOnline reported.

Why it matters for Ghana

The case touches the heart of Ghana's public finances and the handling of tax revenue, which funds schools, hospitals, roads and all government services. Former finance ministers oversee the treasury, so allegations of corruption at that level affect public trust in the state's financial management. The charges also test the independence of the Special Prosecutor's office after a court ruling in April 2026 questioned its authority, though the Supreme Court later upheld the constitutional validity of the prosecution body.