Fugitive former Ghana Minister of Finance, Ofori-Atta in ICE detention over immigration status

The fugitive former Minister of Finance of Ghana has been arrested and is being held in detention by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), his lawyers in Ghana have confirmed.

Mr Ofori-Atta who has evaded arrest in Ghana and declared wanted, has been charged in court in absentia by the Office of Special Prosecutor over corruption and corruption related charges on 28 counts. The Attorney-General’s Department of Ghana has filed for his extradition from the US, awaiting US government response. He has meanwhile been put on INTERPOL Red Notice. He has been challenging that action in court.

According to a public notice from his lawyers in Ghana, Menka-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners, he was arrested and put in detention on Tuesday January 6, 2026.

They wrote: “The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as of yesterday detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States. His US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously.”

They said, Mr. Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorizes a person to stay in the US legally past the period of validity of their visa. Under US law, a change of status by this method is common, they added.

A check on the ICE detention centre locator shows that Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta of Ghana is being held at the ICE Caroline Detention Facility at the following address: 11093 SW Lewis Memorial Dr, Bowling Green, VA 22427.

Mr Ofori-Atta who has been in the US since December 2024 says he went there to seek medical treatment. His lawyers had said many times that he would return to Ghana to answer the corruption charges hanging over his head, but he has instead been fighting hard not to return. His lawyers in the US have claimed that the request for his extradition is politically motivated.

Mr Ofori-Atta and seven others have been charged in court for engaging in a scheme to improperly secure procurement contracts for Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd. According to the Prosecution the scheme resulted in financial losses exceeding GH¢1.4 billion. The individuals are also being accused of influencing the procurement process for unlawful gain and using public office for profit.

The Prosecution said if the State had not intervened, many more billions of dollars would have been lost to state.

The others are Ernest Darko Akore, Emmanuel Kofi Nti Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Isaac Crentsil and Kwadwo Damoah.

They are facing the charges for conspiracy to commit criminal offence of directly or indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of a procurement contract, contrary to section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and section 92(2) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).

Mr Ofori-Atta was appointed the Minister of Finance in January 2017. He served until he was relieved of his post on February 14, 2024.

By Emmanuel K Dogbevi

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