Gana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is seeking permanent residency in the United States while fighting immigration proceedings, as authorities in Ghana pursue his extradition to face multiple corruption charges.
Mr Ofori-Atta is currently being held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Virginia after he was arrested in January by US immigration officials for overstaying his visa.
His lawyer, Enayat Qasimi, told US-based news website Semafor that the former minister was pursuing what he described as a “pathway to residency” in the United States rather than returning to Ghana, where he fears he would not receive a fair trial.
According to Mr Qasimi, there are “serious questions” about the independence of Ghana’s judiciary, arguing that his client had been subjected to a “political witch hunt” over alleged financial impropriety during his tenure as Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024.
Ghana has formally requested Mr Ofori-Atta’s extradition from the United States, with American officials confirming that the request has been received. However, Ghana’s Office of the Attorney General declined to comment on the development.
Meanwhile, Mr Ofori-Atta is expected to reappear before the Annandale Immigration Court in Virginia on April 27 after the case concerning his immigration status was adjourned.
He made his first appearance before the court in January in a virtual hearing presided over by Judge David Gardey. The proceedings focused on a bond redetermination and an initial review of the case.
Mr Ofori-Atta joined the hearing from the Caroline Detention Centre, appearing in a black shirt, spectacles and a nose mask, and was seen removing the jacket before the section began.
The former minister’s visa had been due to expire in February, but was later revoked by US authorities. Court documents indicate that he had been given until November 29 last year to leave the United States, but failed to comply.
US authorities maintain that after the revocation of his visitor visa and his failure to depart by the deadline, Mr Ofori-Atta no longer had lawful immigration status to remain in the country.
During the hearing, his lawyers successfully requested that both the bond hearing and the related master calendar hearing be held behind closed doors, citing the sensitive nature of the issues expected to be discussed. Judge Gardey granted the request and ordered non-participants observing through Webex to exit the session before proceedings continued.
Back in Ghana, Mr Ofori-Atta and five others are facing more than 70 criminal charges linked to several corruption investigations, including allegations that the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) contract caused a financial loss of more than GH¢1.4 billion to the state.
