Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The United States has granted lawful permanent residency to Ghana’s fugitive former finance minister Ken Ofori‑Atta, his lawyer said on Tuesday, capping a dramatic saga that saw the 66‑year‑old arrested by US immigration authorities while seeking to extend his medical stay, even as Ghana’s anti‑corruption office continues to pursue his extradition on a sprawling 78‑count corruption case. Ofori‑Atta’s attorney, Justice Kusi‑Minkah Premo, announced that the US Immigration Court had approved his client’s I‑485 petition for a Green Card. “The Court finds the criminal charges in Ghana not credible,” the lawyer said, adding that the decision “was focused on whether Mr Ofori‑Atta met the legal requirements for adjustment of status.”
The former minister, who served under ex‑President Nana Akufo‑Addo from 2017 to 2024, has been in the United States since January 2025 to receive medical treatment, including surgery for prostate cancer. He was declared a fugitive by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in February 2025, and Interpol issued a “red notice” for him in June that year. Ghanaian authorities formally charged him with corruption in November 2025. In January 2026, Ofori‑Atta was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while applying to extend his stay, though his lawyers insisted the arrest was over “the status of his current stay” rather than his legal troubles in Ghana.
According to his lawyer Frank Davies, the immigration court reviewed the criminal investigations and charges against Ofori‑Atta in Ghana, including the OSP’s decision to declare him a fugitive. The court was told that the fugitive declaration was made while the former minister was undergoing medical treatment in the US and while his legal team was still in communication with Ghanaian investigators. A witness with expertise in international policing and Interpol procedures also testified, reportedly questioning aspects of the process used by Ghanaian authorities in pursuing the case. The ruling marks a significant immigration milestone for Ofori‑Atta, but it does not affect the allegations against him in Ghana.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor moved quickly to clarify that the US immigration ruling has no bearing on the criminal charges Ofori‑Atta faces in Ghana or the ongoing efforts to extradite him. “The OSP states that it is not involved in immigration hearings in the United States involving Mr. Ofori‑Atta,” the agency said in a statement. The OSP explained that its involvement relates solely to extradition proceedings being pursued through the Attorney‑General, who serves as Ghana’s central authority in such matters. The extradition request submitted by Ghanaian authorities was not before the US immigration court and therefore could not have formed the basis of any ruling on the criminal charges. “The credibility or otherwise of the criminal charges against Mr. Ofori‑Atta would be determined by the courts in Ghana, who have jurisdiction to determine his guilt or innocence,” the OSP stated. The anti‑corruption agency stressed that Ofori‑Atta remains a Ghanaian citizen and can still be extradited to Ghana if a competent US court so orders.
Ofori‑Atta faces multiple criminal allegations linked to decisions taken during his tenure as finance minister. These include claims that a contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited resulted in losses exceeding GH¢1.4 billion (approximately $91 million) to the state. He is also under investigation over the termination of the ECG‑BXC contract, payments related to the National Cathedral project, the ambulance procurement contract, and the utilisation of the Tax Refund Account. The OSP initiated steps for an Interpol Red Notice in June 2025 after Ofori‑Atta reportedly failed to respond to several invitations for questioning, though the notice was later deleted by Interpol.
Current Ghanaian President John Mahama has pursued a crackdown on corruption since taking office, though critics say he has unfairly targeted political enemies. Ofori‑Atta served under Mahama’s predecessor, Nana Akufo‑Addo, and oversaw contentious tax reforms and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. The US immigration court’s finding that the Ghanaian charges lack credibility has sparked debate. Some Ghanaian commentators have called for halting all defence cooperation with the US until Ofori‑Atta is returned to face Ghanaian law. As of Tuesday, June 16, 2026, Ofori‑Atta remains in the United States with his newly granted permanent residency, while Ghana’s extradition request continues its separate path through the US legal system. The OSP has made it clear that the immigration ruling does not close the door on bringing him back to Ghana to answer for the alleged financial irregularities.
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