BY Grace Zigah
The attempt by the National Democratic Congress government to bring former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta back to face corruption-related charges has hit a major legal hurdle, as the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, revealed that the former government official has hired top foreign lawyers in the United States to actively resist extradition.
The disclosure, made on Thursday, December 18, 2025, underscores the growing complexity of one of the most high-profile corruption prosecutions, with the Attorney-General warning that the legal manoeuvres could significantly delay justice.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series, Dr. Ayine said he had only recently been informed of Ofori-Atta’s decision to engage highly experienced American attorneys, describing the move as a deliberate attempt to fight the extradition request through the full hierarchy of the U.S. judicial system.
“I just got to know on Wednesday that he has hired some of the top lawyers in the United States of America,” the Attorney-General stated, adding that while the government is not intimidated, the development signals a prolonged legal battle.
According to him, the U.S. legal system allows an accused person to challenge extradition decisions at several levels—from the federal district court to the circuit court, and ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court—a process that could stretch over months or even years.
Extradition Process Already Activated
Despite the resistance, Dr. Ayine confirmed that the Ghanaian government has completed all required legal procedures to secure Ofori-Atta’s return.
His office has formally transmitted an extradition request to the United States authorities after receiving full documentation from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The request also covers Ernest Darko Akore, a former Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Finance, who is standing trial alongside Ofori-Atta in the ongoing SML corruption case.
The Attorney-General stressed that Ghana has fulfilled its obligations under international extradition law, and the matter now lies before U.S. judicial authorities, who must determine whether the legal threshold for extradition has been met.
Charges
Ken Ofori-Atta was first named as a suspect by the OSP in January 2025, in a series of corruption and corruption-related investigations.
These include alleged irregularities in contracts awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), issues surrounding payments linked to the National Cathedral project, and concerns over tax refunds and health sector expenditures.
In February 2025, after failing to honour repeated summonses from the OSP, Ofori-Atta was officially declared a fugitive from justice, with investigators confirming that he had remained in the United States throughout the period.
According to publicly available charge sheets, Ofori-Atta and his alleged accomplices face 78 charges, including causing financial loss to the state and using public office for private benefit.
Government Appeals For Voluntary Return
Amid the legal standoff, Dr. Ayine made a public appeal to the former Finance Minister to return voluntarily to Ghana, assuring him of fairness and due process under the law.
“If I were him, this is his home. He should join the next flight and come,” the Attorney-General said.
“Under my watch, he will not be treated unfairly. He will be prosecuted just like any other person I have charged.”
He emphasised that the government’s pursuit of Ofori-Atta is not politically motivated but grounded in accountability and the rule of law.
Justice Now In U.S. Hands
With Ghana’s part of the process completed, the Attorney-General acknowledged that the pace and outcome of the extradition now depend entirely on the U.S. courts, which will assess the legal merit of the request against the defences mounted by Ofori-Atta’s foreign legal team.
