Martin Kpebu: Public Alert Could Have Prevented Ofori-Atta’s Exit – Blames Kissi Agyebeng
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu says a timely public alert could have prevented former Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta from leaving the country. He argues that the Office of the Special Prosecutor failed to act decisively when efforts to block the travel were ignored by key security agencies.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, Mr Kpebu explained that he had been invited by the Special Prosecutor only to clarify comments he previously made, noting that he is not under investigation for any offence. According to him, the Office wanted additional information to support its anti corruption work.
He said one of his key concerns is the Special Prosecutor’s own admission that Mr Ofori Atta had written to both the incoming and outgoing Chiefs of Staff before his trip, and that this communication was intercepted. He added that the Special Prosecutor then approached the National Investigations Bureau, National Security, and the Ghana Immigration Service for assistance but received no support from any of the agencies.
Mr Kpebu described the situation as a serious indictment on all three institutions. However, he stressed that the larger failure was the lack of a public alert at a critical moment. He argued that the Special Prosecutor, who had previously held high profile briefings, should have informed the public immediately after his attempts to stop the travel were unsuccessful.
He said a simple announcement warning that Mr Ofori Atta was preparing to leave the country despite official objections could have mobilised swift national action. Mr Kpebu noted that many Ghanaians, including influential figures, would have moved quickly to ensure the former Minister was stopped at the airport.
Recalling his time with the ORAL team, he said there were individuals with the authority and capacity to intervene if they had been alerted in time.
Mr Kpebu remains convinced that a public whistleblowing effort could have altered the outcome and prevented the former Finance Minister’s departure.
