Kofi Bentil, a Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, has said that if he were in the shoes of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, he would not return to Ghana.
According to Kofi Bentil, Ken Ofori-Atta would be in danger of assault if he returned to Ghana.
He argued that Ken Ofori-Atta would be in danger of being assaulted even by ordinary citizens because he has been so demonised.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, June 20, Kofi Bentil stated, “If I were Ken, I wouldn’t come to Ghana, not because I’m afraid of the charges. I have said on this table that the charges are not serious. It is being reported that the US court is saying the same thing”.
“I said it about a year ago: 78 charges for whatever. And I said, if I’m Ken, not because I’m afraid. As far as I am concerned, Ken Ofori-Atta, if he were here, would be in danger of being assaulted even by ordinary citizens because he has been so demonised,” he stated.
Kofi Bentil, however, added that he would prefer Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana and respond to the allegations against him.
He added, “I wish he would come and face the charges and face them down,” he said.
“So people should take things in context. My worry is that, because of the emotions surrounding this matter, we are not being methodical about it. And that’s why we are where we are.”
Kofi Bentil also revisited the OSP’s handling of the case, “From the beginning, it was on this table that I revealed he had not even been charged, yet Interpol Red Notices had been issued against him”.
“And I said it would not go anywhere. What have we seen? It did not go anywhere. They were withdrawn, and they apologised to him”.
“I said it here long before that, when you haven’t charged a person, how do you issue an Interpol Red Notice? People said, ‘You are defending Ken.’ I said, ‘No.’ The point is that it is not a proper procedure”.
He added, “When you have a prosecutorial body, which is a serious institution, issuing an Interpol Red Notice — an international wanted notice — against somebody it has not charged, that’s the point I made a year ago. And I’m saying Interpol itself has come to the conclusion that I was right.”
“There’s a right way to do something and a wrong way to do it. And when we say these things, people think, ‘Oh, you are defending Ken.’ No. I’m saying there’s a right way and there’s a wrong way”.
“Let’s never forget the fact that Ken Ofori-Atta did not run away from the OSP. He went abroad for medical treatment. And when they contacted him, he was communicating with them. His lawyers were communicating with them.”
“It is a decision he made not to return because of the atmosphere that was created. And that also has been reported,” he said.
“When you have all these things going on, it poisons the environment. The law actually says that you have a right not to return to that kind of environment. It is not only the prosecuting and arresting institutions that can create such circumstances.”
His comments follows reports that Ken Ofori-Atta has reportedly secured a legal victory in the United States, with an immigration court approving his application to adjust his immigration status.
According to reports, the US court has paved the way for Ken Ofori-Atta to obtain lawful permanent residency in the United States.
Reports suggest the decision was delivered on Monday when the Immigration court considered Mr Ofori-Atta’s I-485 petition.
A Press Release by lawyers of Ken Ofori-Atta in Ghana revealed that the court examined issues surrounding the criminal investigations and charges currently facing the former minister in Ghana, with the judge reportedly raising concerns about some of the circumstances linked to the actions taken by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
“During the hearing, attention was drawn to the OSP’s earlier declaration of Mr Ofori-Atta as a fugitive from justice.
The court reportedly heard that the declaration was made while the former minister was receiving medical treatment in the United States and at a time when his legal representatives were still engaging with investigators in Ghana.
Evidence was also presented by a witness familiar with international policing and Interpol procedures, who reportedly questioned aspects of the process adopted by the Ghanaian authorities in pursuing the case”, citinews reports stated.
However, Ken Ofori-Atta is still a subject of multiple criminal charges in Ghana arising from decisions taken during his tenure as Finance Minister.
The immigration ruling relates specifically to U.S. immigration proceedings and does not constitute a determination of guilt or innocence regarding the charges he faces in Ghana.
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