The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has clarified that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s reported progress toward obtaining lawful permanent residency in the United States has no impact on the criminal proceedings he faces in Ghana or ongoing efforts to secure his return through extradition.
In a statement posted on X, the anti-corruption agency responded to media reports suggesting that a US immigration court granted Mr. Ofori-Atta’s residency application after purportedly finding the criminal allegations against him in Ghana to be unsubstantiated.
The OSP rejected that interpretation, stressing that it was not a party to the immigration proceedings and that any determination regarding the validity of criminal charges against the former minister falls solely within the jurisdiction of Ghanaian courts.
According to the agency, its role in matters involving Mr. Ofori-Atta is limited to extradition proceedings being pursued through the Attorney-General, who serves as Ghana’s designated authority for international extradition requests.
The Office further explained that the extradition application submitted by Ghanaian authorities was not before the US immigration court and therefore could not have influenced the court’s decision on Mr. Ofori-Atta’s immigration status.
“The validity of the charges can only be determined through judicial proceedings in Ghana,” the OSP maintained, noting that the substantive cases against the former minister remain pending before the appropriate legal authorities.
The clarification follows reports that a US immigration court approved Mr. Ofori-Atta’s I-485 application, a key step in the process of obtaining permanent resident status in the United States.
His lawyer, Frank Davies, reportedly stated that issues relating to investigations and charges in Ghana featured during the immigration proceedings.
Discussions were also said to have touched on the OSP’s earlier decision to declare Mr. Ofori-Atta a fugitive from justice while he was undergoing medical treatment in the United States.
Despite the reported immigration ruling, the OSP emphasized that Mr. Ofori-Atta remains a Ghanaian citizen and could still be extradited if a competent court in the United States approves Ghana’s request.
The former Finance Minister is facing a number of allegations linked to decisions taken during his tenure in office, including claims that a contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited resulted in financial losses exceeding GHS1.4 billion to the state.
The OSP also noted that it initiated efforts in June 2025 to secure an INTERPOL Red Notice after Mr. Ofori-Atta allegedly failed to honour multiple invitations for questioning, although the notice was subsequently withdrawn by INTERPOL.
The anti-corruption agency reiterated that all substantive criminal matters involving the former minister remain subject to Ghana’s legal processes and that any determination of guilt or innocence rests exclusively with the courts in Ghana.
