A United States Immigration Court has directed the federal government to provide formal proof of an extradition request from Ghana regarding former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
During a closed-door hearing on January 20, 2026, Judge David A. Gardey declined to rule on the state’s claim that Ofori-Atta should be denied bail due to an active extradition request, citing a total lack of documentary evidence. The court has now set a deadline of February 19, 2026, for the government to produce the necessary documentation.
The case has been adjourned to April 27, 2026. At this next session, the tribunal will simultaneously review the bail application and any evidence submitted by the government.
Currently, Mr. Ofori-Atta is being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia. Beyond the extradition dispute, he has a pending petition for “adjustment of status,” a standard legal process for individuals seeking to change their residency standing while in the United States.
Mr. Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, has been in the U.S. since January 2025. His legal team maintains that his presence in the country is for critical medical reasons, specifically seeking treatment for prostate cancer and managing post-COVID-19 complications.
While the Ghanaian government has moved to have him returned to face corruption charges, currently at the case management stage in Ghana, Ofori-Atta’s U.S. lawyers insist their client is a law-abiding individual who is cooperating fully with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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Story by Glorious Naa Deedei Quaye| univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Deborah Owusu
