Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr has bemoaned the failure of embattled former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, who is currently in the custody of United States immigration authorities, to return to Ghana to answer the allegations against him.
According to him, Ofori-Atta’s excuse that he cannot return to the country because he is receiving prostate cancer treatment is untenable.
Pratt Jnr argued that prostate cancer should not be an issue that will prevent Ofori-Atta from travelling back to Ghana because of medical advancements.
He said that many prostate cancer patients are living their normal lives, including possibly the judges who would be presiding over suits filed against the former finance minister.
“Besides, from all that we know, unless there’s something else that the public has not been told, what he has is prostate — I don’t know the state of his prostate. Everywhere you go in the world, not just in Ghana, many, many people have these prostate problems, and they work, they stand trial, they live in prison, they live outside prison.
“Prostate is no longer a sufficient grounds for refusing to be accountable. I’m quite sure that some of the judges have prostate problems. Some of the judges you will be facing have prostate problems, and they are sitting there in court judging,” he said.
He added, “The science is that men, after 40 years, are most likely to have prostate cancer or issues related to prostate cancer. It’s a normal thing, just like fibroid is so normal to women and so on. So that is not a sufficient excuse for what he appears to be doing.”
Pratt Jnr further asserted that Ofori-Atta’s failure to return to the country when he had the chance will make things more difficult for him in the event that he is brought back into the country.
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He said that no judge will be willing to grant Ofori-Atta bail when he returns.
“For all practical purposes, I think that he has worsened his case. Today, there are so many leaders of the last government who have been accused of wrongdoing and have been granted bail. They sleep in their houses, and they go about their normal duties pending further investigations and prosecution.
“He may not have that privilege if he comes back. And you know why, because now it’s clearly established that he is a flight risk, and judges and investigators will find it very difficult to grant him bail, as other colleagues of his have been granted bail. So he has worsened his case, and I feel sorry for him that it has gotten to this. I really feel sorry for him. Why can’t he come and defend himself against the allegations which are being made against him?” he quizzed.
Watch a video of his remarks below:
Why can’t he come to Ghana? Prostate cancer is no excuse; even some of his judges may have it – Kwesi Pratt on ‘Ofori-Atta-ICE’ saga#GoodMorningGhana #MetroTV pic.twitter.com/hqkqAB9zXV
— Metro TV Ghana (@metrotvgh) January 14, 2026
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Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians respond to Ofori-Atta’s detention
