Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta’s lawyer says the former Ghana Finance Minister is pursuing permanent US residency instead of returning to Ghana, citing concerns over a fair trial. Mr. Ofori-Atta’s been detained in Virginia by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since January for overstaying his visa.
His lawyer, Enayat Qasimi, told Semafor.com, a US-based news website, he has a “pathway to residency” and will pursue it, claiming Mr. Ofori-Atta faces a “political witch hunt” in Ghana.
Ghana’s submitted an extradition request to the US, seeking his return amid allegations of financial impropriety during his 2017-2024 tenure.
Mr. Ofori-Atta’s next court appearance is April 27 in Virginia. He’s facing over 70 charges in Ghana linked to corruption probes, including a GH¢1.4bn loss allegation. The Ghana Attorney-General’s office declined to comment
