By Issah Olegor
Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been released from detention by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the United States, bringing an end to nearly three months of custody that had placed him at the centre of a complex legal and diplomatic standoff between Ghana and U.S. authorities.
Checks at the Caroline Detention Facility, where he had been held since his arrest in January 2026, confirmed that his name no longer appears on the official detention list.
While officials did not disclose the specific conditions of his release, they verified that he is no longer in custody, marking a significant turning point in the case that has dominated the political and legal landscape in recent months.
Ofori-Atta’s detention stemmed from immigration-related issues rather than any criminal charges in the United States. His lawyers, from the firm Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline & Partners, had earlier clarified that ICE’s action was linked to questions surrounding his continued stay in the country following the revocation of his visa.
The U.S. authorities had previously directed him to leave the country by November 29, 2025, a directive he failed to comply with, leading to his arrest on January 6, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Despite his release, the former minister remains entangled in multiple legal challenges across jurisdictions. In Ghana, he and five others are facing more than 70 criminal charges related to corruption and procurement breaches, particularly allegations that the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract caused financial losses exceeding GH¢1.4 billion to the state.
These charges form part of investigations spearheaded by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) under Kissi Agyebeng, which has pursued the case since 2025.
The OSP’s earlier efforts included securing an INTERPOL Red Notice in June 2025 after Ofori-Atta failed to respond to multiple invitations for questioning. However, that notice was later withdrawn following internal review by INTERPOL, a development his lawyers cited as evidence of procedural flaws, while prosecutors maintained that it did not affect the substance of the charges.
In February 2026, the Government of Ghana escalated the matter by submitting a formal extradition request to the United States, seeking Ofori-Atta’s return to stand trial.
The U.S. authorities have acknowledged receipt of the request, and the process remains ongoing, subject to judicial review under American law.
Ofori-Atta’s immigration case also remains active despite his release from detention.
He is expected to reappear before the Annandale Immigration Court on April 27, 2026, following earlier proceedings that were adjourned. His first appearance in January, presided over by Judge David Gardey, focused on a bond redetermination and preliminary review of his status.
At that hearing, his legal team successfully requested that proceedings be held behind closed doors due to the sensitive nature of the issues involved.
The former minister’s release now shifts attention from detention conditions to the substantive legal questions ahead—whether he can regularise his stay in the United States, resist deportation, or ultimately be extradited to Ghana.
His lawyers have indicated that he is exploring options to remain in the U.S., including pursuing residency, while also contesting claims that he would receive a fair trial if returned home.
Ofori-Atta served as a finance minister from 2017 to early 2024 under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, playing a central role in shaping the country’s economic policy during a period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, rising debt levels, and IMF negotiations.
His tenure, once defined by economic stewardship, is now overshadowed by legal scrutiny and allegations of financial misconduct.
With his release from ICE custody, the case enters a new phase—no longer centred on detention, but on the outcome of parallel immigration and extradition proceedings.
