Kwesi Pratt Jnr, a veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has said there is so much drama surrounding former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to Kwesi Pratt, Ghana’s laws provide a clear path for an individual to be tried in absentia.
He further quizzed why authorities and political actors have allowed the situation to escalate, adding that the unfolding events amount to political theatre on all sides.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, Kwesi Pratt Jnr explained, “The fact that our laws allow trial in absentia, so what is all this drama and so on? If Mr Ofori-Atta does not come, go ahead and try him in absentia. So, what is the drama about? I don’t understand what is happening”.
“There’s so much drama, and I think a lot of it is political theatre and both on the side of Mr Ofori-Atta himself and those who support him, and also those on the other side, there seems to be too much political theater and I’m not comfortable with political theatre in matters such as this,” Pratt stated.
He “Clearly, there may be questions that he has to answer. Indeed, there are questions that he has to answer. If he won’t be here to answer, take it before a judge.
“Let a judge make a determination as to whether indeed there have been violations of the laws of this country, and if there have been violations of the laws of this country, apply the penalty. I just don’t understand why there’s so much drama around this case… To be honest, I’m getting increasingly worried about all the drama. All the drama is totally unnecessary,” he queried.
Kwasi Pratt further debunked claims that Ofori-Atta would face humiliation upon his return to Ghana, arguing that being put under arrest is not humiliation.
The veteran journalist added, “If I were Mr Ofori-Atta, I would have returned to Ghana because the circumstances in Ghana today will show that he would arrive at the airport, he would probably be put under arrest and being put under arrest is not humiliation. He would be put under arrest.
“He would be given all the necessary conditions for bail, and then he would get his bail, and he would go home and rest like all his other colleagues who are facing similar processes go home,” he indicated.
“This case can drag on for 10 years or more, given the fact that Mr Ofori-Atta appears to have substantial resources at his disposal. We can hire the best lawyers; his lawyers can play the legal game in court and so on, and this case can drag on for 8 – 10 years and so on, during which period, he will still be enjoying some measure of respect and freedom and so on. I cannot understand why there is this standoff, him refusing to come, and all the drama and so on,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Frank Davies, a member of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s legal team, has revealed that proceedings for his client’s release on bail were halted after Ghanaian authorities.
The US Judge, David A Gardey, presiding over the case of Ghana’s Finance Minister, requested proof of Ken Ofori-Atta’s extradition request from the US federal government following the closed-door immigration hearing on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
The state attorneys opposed a bond application, known as a bail application in Ghana, for Ofori-Atta, arguing that Ghana has submitted an extradition request for him.
The Judge, however, declined to make an immediate determinationadding that no documentary evidence had been presented to support the assertion.
Judge David A Gardey directed the federal government to file any evidence of an extradition request on or before February 19, 2026.
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