US Immigration release ex-Ghana finance minister three months afta dem detain am

Di US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) don release ex-Ghana finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta wey dem bin gbab and detain.

Di enforcement team bin detain di ex-minister on Tuesday 6 January for di Caroline Detention facility for Virginia.

Ice bin put for dia website say dem hold di former Ghana minister for custody.

Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo for statement on Wednesday 8 March say Ofori-Attah regain im freedom on Tuesday 7 March and dey house wit im family.

"On April 7 2026, Ken Ofori-Attah bin dey released from Ice detention pursuant to judicial order. E dey home wit im family," di statement tok.

Justice say Ofori-Atta remain committed to use due process to defend im right as guaranteed under di constitution and laws of di United States.

"E and im family remain faithful tankful to God and all dose wey don offer prayer and support during dis period," di statement add.

Wetin be adjustment of status wey Ken Ofori-Atta lawyers say he file petition for?

According to di Ice website, adjustment of status be di process wen pesin go apply to become lawful, permanent resident for di US.

Dis mean say di ex-finance minister don apply for permanent residency status for di US at a time wen authorities for Ghana dey pursue am to face prosecution for di kontri.

But e get few ways wey dis adjustment of status dey work.

For pipo wey dey face removal proceedings, most of dem dey apply through family members; dis fit hapun if your family member wey apply na US citizen or also be lawful permanent resident, wey di visa dey available to you.

Ice say most pipo dey apply for adjustment of status through di US citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) - di federal agency wey dey process immigration applications.

But if Ice don put you for deportation proceedings, you gatz to apply for adjustment of status for immigration court bifor a judge.

Ice add say adjustment of status cases fit dey complicated, especially when pesin dey detained.

Ghana govment extradition request for Ken Ofori-Atta

Even though e neva dey clear at dis point if di arrest and detention of Ken Ofori-Atta dey in connection wit di extradition request by Ghana govment, sabi pipo say di charges against di minister no fit dey overlooked for dis mata.

On 18 December, Ghana Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine confam say im office don formally send extradition request for di ex-finance minister and im alleged accomplice - one Ernest Akore (Ken chief of staff wen im dey office as finance minister), to di US.

Im confam say dem begin di process on 19 November 2025 wen dem submit di request for commencement of extradition proceedings against di two pipo.

Dr Ayine add during dat press conference say dem submit di request to di Department of Justice for America wey e add say di decision now dey for di hands of American authorities.

"At dis point, na di US authorities especially di judicial authorities wey go determine whether sufficient evidence dey wey go demand say make di two accused pipo - di ex-finance minister and im chief of staff, dey extradited to Ghana to stand trial."

According to di special prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, di ex-minister and oda accused pipo conspire to set up "criminal enterprise wey directly and indirectly influence di kontri procurement process to win contracts for di company (SML)."

"Di SML company carry unfair advantage to get transaction audit services, external price verification services, measurement audit for downstream petroleum products and odas form di Ghana govment through di finance ministry and di Ghana revenue authority."

Kissi Agyebeng di special prosecutor tok say "dem begin di criminal enterprise for 2017 by di ex-finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Emmanuel Kofi Nti (ex-GRA commissioner) and Evans Adusei togeda wit di SML company itself."

Di prosecutor say dem neva ensure value for money for di contracts dem carry give di SML company wey dem cause financial loss of Ghc 1.4bn ($128m).

Ghana President John Mahama afta e order investigation for dis mata, bin direct di Finance Ministry to cancel dis contract wit SML on 31 October 2025.

According to di prosecutor, if di president no cancel di contract at di time e do am, directors of di company tok say make di kontri pay dem Ghc $2.8bn for five years witout parliamentary approval.

Sake of dis tins, dem charge di suspects wit 78 counts.

Lawyers for di underfire ex-minister bin say dia client dey di US dey seek medical attention wey e go make available to face accountability if e make fit.

Dem maintain say di former minister no do anytin wrong during im time in office.

But di prosecutor office no gree to dis excuse as dem accuse di ex-minister say im dey run away from justice in respect of im tenure as finance minister for di kontri for seven years.