Due process is not a shield for impunity, Kpebu reminds us that accountability for public officials isn’t optional, even before charges are read.
Martin Kpebu, a private lawyer, has questioned claims of due process in the case against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. He says that accountability must come before legal rights. On April 8, he talked about Ofori-Atta’s release on bail from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on JoyFM’s “Top Story.” He also talked about Ofori-Atta’s upcoming court appearance on April 27 for deportation proceedings. He said that arguments about the lack of formal charges should not get in the way of accountability. In response to comments from the former minister’s lawyer, Frank Davies, that his client has not been formally notified of any charges, Kpebu said that public officials have a constitutional duty to be accountable for their actions. He pointed to Article 19 and stressed that due process should not be used to delay or avoid responsibility, especially since Ofori-Atta had already said he would work with the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
