By Collins Sarkodieh 
Samuel Koku Anyidoho, the former Head of Communications at the Presidency, has confirmed that he still has not seen the official autopsy report for the late President John Evans Atta Mills. Despite his close working relationship with the former leader, Anyidoho maintains that the exact medical cause of death remains a mystery to him nearly 14 years after the incident.
President Atta Mills passed away on July 24, 2012, marking the first time a sitting Ghanaian President died while in office. While the event shook the nation, the subsequent handling of the medical records has created a persistent “transparency gap” that Anyidoho argues needs to be closed. His recent comments on Channel One TV on May 10, 2026, reiterate a long-standing frustration regarding the lack of access to formal documentation.
For many Ghanaians, this isn’t just about curiosity; it’s about the historical record of a head of state. Anyidoho emphasizes that his quest is for official transparency rather than feeding into wild conspiracy theories. However, the longer the report remains shielded from public or even close-aide view, the more the vacuum is filled with national debate and speculation.
Why hasn’t Koku Anyidoho seen the Atta Mills autopsy report?
Koku Anyidoho has not seen the report because it has remained a restricted document, held primarily by the family and state security agencies rather than being circulated among political aides. Despite being one of the President’s most trusted confidants at the time of his passing, Anyidoho claims he was never granted access to the final medical findings.
In 2022, a public disagreement erupted between Anyidoho and the late President’s brother, Samuel Atta Mills, over whether the document should be made public. The family has generally maintained that the cause of death is a private matter, while Anyidoho and some sections of the public argue that the death of a sitting president is a matter of national security and public interest.
This tug-of-war between “family privacy” and “state transparency” is at the heart of the delay. While the family believes they are protecting the dignity of the deceased, Anyidoho suggests that the absence of the report only serves to keep the wounds of the 2012 tragedy open and unhealed for those who served him.
What happened when the family petitioned the Presidency in 2024?
In early 2024, members of the late President’s family formally petitioned the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to help them gain access to the autopsy report. This move was significant because it signaled that even some of the President’s own relatives were not entirely satisfied with their level of access to the formal medical conclusions.
The petition reignited a nationwide conversation about the right to information versus the right to privacy. It also highlighted the inconsistencies in who actually knows what. If the family has to petition the sitting president for the document, it suggests that the “official” report might be buried deeper in state archives than previously thought.
Government spokespersons have generally been cautious, noting that the Presidency must balance the sensitivity of the family’s wishes with the legal requirements for archiving the history of a former head of state. As of May 2026, the status of that petition remains a focal point for those seeking closure on the 2012 event.
How does the lack of an autopsy report affect Ghana’s political history?
The absence of a publicly verified autopsy report for a sitting president creates a precedent of opacity that can undermine public trust in state institutions. Without a clear medical verdict, historical accounts of the Atta Mills administration remain “incomplete,” leading to recurring cycles of political finger-pointing every few years.
In many modern democracies, the death of a head of state is followed by a transparent medical summary to reassure the public and stabilize the markets. In Ghana’s case, the silence has allowed the “what exactly killed the President” question to become a recurring political football used by various factions during election cycles.
Anyidoho’s persistent questioning is a reminder that in politics, silence is rarely seen as neutral; it is often interpreted as a “cover-up” even if the reality is simply a bureaucratic or familial desire for privacy. For the record of the Fourth Republic to be complete, many believe a formal, verified summary is eventually inevitable.
Factual Insights into the Death of President Atta Mills:
- Date of Passing: President John Evans Atta Mills died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra on July 24, 2012.
- First in History: He was the first Ghanaian President to die while serving his term in the Fourth Republic.
- Official Role: Samuel Koku Anyidoho served as the Head of Communications at the Presidency from 2009 until the President’s death in 2012.
- Legal Precedent: Ghana’s Right to Information (RTI) Act, passed in 2019, provides a framework for accessing state documents, though “personal privacy” remains a major exempt category.
- Family Petitions: In 2024, a segment of the Atta Mills family petitioned President Akufo-Addo for the release of the medical documents.
- Public Record: Despite various “statements” from medical officials over the years, a formal autopsy document has never been published in the national gazette.
- Succession: Following his death, Vice President John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as President in accordance with the 1992 Constitution.
Is the Atta Mills autopsy report a private or public document?
Legally, an autopsy report is generally considered a private medical record belonging to the next of kin, but when the deceased is a sitting President, the document takes on a “public character.” Critics argue that because the state paid for the President’s care and because his health affected national governance, the public has a right to know the cause of his death.
The Ghanaian legal system hasn’t fully resolved this specific conflict between the Privacy Act and the Public Interest. Currently, the “private” status has won out, keeping the document in the hands of a few. However, Anyidoho argues that after 14 years, the “private” sensitivity should give way to the “public” need for a definitive historical record.
If the report were released today, it would likely confirm natural causes, as many medical professionals at the time suggested. However, the “mystery” remains because the physical evidence the paper itself has never been seen by those who were in the room where it happened.
The Long Road to Transparency
Koku Anyidoho’s recent media appearance is a signal that the ghost of the 2012 transition will not be laid to rest without the release of the autopsy report. Whether it is a matter of family pride or state protocol, the current “I don’t know” status from a former presidential aide is a significant dent in Ghana’s administrative transparency.
As the nation moves closer to future elections, the call for “Atta Mills’ Truth” will likely grow louder. For the sake of the late President’s legacy and the peace of mind of his closest allies, a middle ground must be found where medical facts can finally replace political speculation.