The withdrawal of the Red Notice against Ken Ofori-Atta is more than a technical correction, it is a reputational disaster for Ghana.
INTERPOL does not lightly remove alerts. It does so when its foundational principles are violated. And in this case, Ken Ofori-Atta’s lawyers argued—persuasively—that Ghana’s own request breached the organisation’s constitution: no political persecution, no administrative charges, and no Red Notice without charges in a competent court.
The OSP’s subsequent public announcement of charges effectively confirmed the legal team’s concerns. As a result, INTERPOL had no choice but to pull the notice.
This episode risks placing Ghana among states notorious for abusing INTERPOL for political score-settling. That is unacceptable for a nation that prides itself on democratic governance and rule of law.
Ghana must do better.
