Ken Ofori-Atta
Former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has sued two police officers over the illegal raid on his residence in Accra on February 11, 2025.
The suit, filed before the registry of the High Court in Accra, avers that the actions of DSP Bismark Boakye Ansah and Chief Inspector Mensah aka Sir Mensah, who raided his home to conduct a search, constituted a trespass and a breach of his right to privacy.
Mr. Ofori-Atta is therefore, seeking damages for trespass against the defendants, aggravated damages for breach of privacy and a perpetual injunction against the two police officers, their agents and assigns from entering his property and or further breaching his privacy.
He is also seeking the court to restrain them from repeating similar or other conduct against him.
Mr. Ofori-Atta’s Labone home was raided on February 11, 2025, by persons believed to officials of National Security.
This was just a day before the Office of the Special Prosecutor declared him wanted for corruption and corruption-related offences, including the award of contract for the construction of the National Cathedral.
Although the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng claimed his intelligence suggested that the raid was staged to attract public sympathy, CCTV footage showed a person who now works at National Security Secretariat.
This led many to question the sort of intelligence the Special Prosecutor had gathered before making his claim on national television.
Suit
In the aftermath of the raid, Mr. Ofori-Atta has sued two senior police officers for their roles in the raid, accusing them of trespassing and breaching his right to privacy.
The statement of claim avers that at all material times the property was, at his instance, under the care and control of his domestic staff as he was temporarily out of the jurisdiction on medical treatment.
He said on February 11, 2025, the defendants together with some 12 others without prior notice or his consent and bereft of any legal basis, entered the property and conducted an extensive search thereof, although the subject of the search was not disclosed.
The statement of claim avers that the raiding team comprised the defendants, nine military personnel carrying assault rifles and other menacingly looking individuals in plain clothes, some of whom carried side arms on their bodies.
“The raiding team did not produce any form of warrant nor indicate to the Plaintiff’s domestic staff the basis for the search, but warned the domestic staff to desist from using their mobile phones throughout the entire period of the unauthorised operation,” the suit disclosed.
It said the former minister’s domestic staff, with morbid fear, and intense trepidation, looked on helplessly as the raiding team searched the nooks and crannies of the property, including but not limited to the compounds, bedrooms, open spaces, kitchen, cutlery, drawers, fridge, freezer, cupboards, closets, plates and car.
“A member of the raiding team who doubled as a videographer filmed, with his cell phone, all the spaces in the property, including bedrooms, living areas, the kitchen and other private spaces,” it disclosed.
It further indicates that Mr. Ofori-Atta’s domestic staff were thereby traumatised and have sustained varying degrees of severe shock as a result.
“Plaintiff says that the conduct of the Defendants and their cohorts was in the circumstances trespassory and invasive of Plaintiff’s property and privacy rights,” it added.
Again, Mr. Ofori-Atta avers that the raid on the property which gained notoriety both domestically and internationally has not only exposed him to public ridicule, resentment and scorn, but also portrayed him as a criminal, and this has negatively impacted his hard-earned reputation in the international community.
He also indicates that he has through his lawyers sought confirmation from the Offices of the National Intelligence Bureau, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police whether or not the raiding team acted at their instance, and the purpose thereof, but no response thereto has been received.
“By reason of the matters aforesaid, the Plaintiff has suffered great anxiety and distress and in the premises has suffered loss and damage as well,” it pointed out.
Mr. Ofori-Atta adds that the defendants will not refrain from further interference with his property and privacy rights unless restrained by the court.
“Plaintiff avers further that the Defendants will not compensate him for their unlawful acts unless compelled so to do by the Court.”
BY Gibril Abdul Razak