The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has dismissed reports suggesting that a United States immigration court found the criminal charges filed against former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta to be lacking credibility.
In a statement, the OSP said it had taken note of media reports and a publication attributed to a Ghanaian law firm claiming that Mr. Ofori-Atta had secured permanent residency in the United States after an immigration court rejected the credibility of the criminal allegations against him.
The anti-corruption agency described the claims as inaccurate, stressing that it has no role in Mr. Ofori-Atta’s immigration proceedings in the United States.
The OSP explained that its involvement in matters relating to Mr. Ofori-Atta is limited to criminal investigations and that any extradition process is pursued through Ghana’s Attorney-General, who serves as the country’s central authority for such matters.
According to the office, the extradition request is not before the US immigration court and that only the appropriate courts in Ghana have jurisdiction to determine the merits and credibility of the criminal charges brought against Mr. Ofori-Atta.
The OSP further stated that Mr. Ofori-Atta remains a Ghanaian citizen and could still be subject to extradition proceedings should the relevant court in the United States make such a determination.
The statement follows reports linking Mr. Ofori-Atta’s reported immigration status in the United States to the criminal case being pursued against him in Ghana.
