The Member of Parliament for Gushiegu has warned that growing political agitation over former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta could undermine the country’s efforts to extradite him from the United States.
Hassan Tampuli, MP for Gushegu, says the intense politicisation of the case is weakening Ghana’s legal position and may lead US authorities to view the extradition request as politically motivated.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Mr Tampuli argued that protests and public pressure — including a recent demonstration at the US Embassy in Accra — have inadvertently strengthened Mr Ofori-Atta’s defence.
“We have politicised the case so much that we have even fortified it in the US,” he said, warning that the extradition attempt could end up being seen as “a foolish case”.
Mr Tampuli described the effort to compel Mr Ofori-Atta’s return as one of only two attempts in Ghana’s Fourth Republic to hold a former senior political figure accountable after leaving office. However, he said the surrounding political noise is damaging the credibility of the process.
He cautioned that the domestic political climate is being closely observed internationally and could influence judicial decisions in the United States.
By framing the extradition bid within an atmosphere of political vendetta, Mr Tampuli said, Ghana risks weakening its own legal arguments and giving Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal team grounds to challenge the request.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
