Ghana’s former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who is wanted at home on suspicion of corruption, has been detained by US immigration authorities, his lawyers have said.
Ex-finance minister Ofori-Atta
Ofori-Atta, 66, has been in the United States since January last year to receive medical treatment, including prostate cancer surgery.
His lawyers said the former minister, who was declared a fugitive in February last year and formally charged with corruption in November, had applied to extend his stay in the US.
According to the statement, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement took Ofori-Atta into custody on Tuesday over issues relating to “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,” the lawyers said, adding that Ofori-Atta is cooperating fully with immigration authorities.
ICE’s online database listed him as being held at a facility in the US state of Virginia.
Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s finance minister from 2017 to 2024 under former president Nana Akufo-Addo, during which he oversaw controversial tax reforms and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.
