Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Hassan Tampuli, has warned that the ongoing domestic political agitation surrounding former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is undermining Ghana’s legal bid to have him extradited from the United States.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, the MP argued that the intense politicisation of Ofori-Atta’s case has inadvertently strengthened the former minister’s defense against extradition and risks making Ghana’s request appear “a foolish case” in the eyes of U.S. authorities.
“We have politicized the case so much so that we have even fortified this case in the US,” Mr Tampuli stated. “I would not be surprised that this case, you know, becomes a foolish case, especially really, regarding the extradition, a foolish case.”
This comes in the wake of agitation, including a days-long demonstration at the US Embassy in Accra demanding his return.
Mr Tampuli framed the attempt to bring Ofori-Atta back to Ghana as one of only two such efforts in the Fourth Republic to hold a high-profile political figure accountable for their stewardship after leaving office. However, he suggested that the political noise surrounding the process is jeopardizing its legitimacy.
“One of two exceptions since this Fourth Republican Republic started yesterday that we are seeing are being requested to come and account for their political, you know, stewardship, and then we are having these challenges before we were able to do this case,” he noted.
Hassan Tampuli suggested that this domestic political drama is being watched closely internationally and could influence the judicial process abroad. By framing the extradition request within a context of apparent political vendetta, Ghana may be weakening its own legal arguments.
“You have made the case so political that even the US government will be thinking twice before they allow him to come,” he cautioned.
Hassan Tampuli’s warning implies that the public and political discourse in Ghana may be providing Ofori-Atta’s legal team with material to argue that the extradition attempt is politically motivated, thereby “fortifying” his immigration case in the United States.
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