Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has reportedly had his passport confiscated after being granted bail by a United States immigration court, as deportation proceedings against him continue to unfold.
Mr Ofori-Atta is reportedly expected to reappear before the court on April 27, 2026, as authorities work through procedural delays linked to missing extradition documentation from Ghana.
His release on bail followed arguments by his legal team that, in the absence of a formal extradition request from Ghana, the court could not legally classify him as a flight risk—an essential consideration in bail determinations.
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The bail was secured through a private bond company for an undisclosed but reportedly significant amount.
At an earlier hearing in March 2026, the presiding judge had explicitly requested a copy of Ghana’s extradition request before ruling on the bail application. The judge stressed that such documentation would be key in determining whether the former minister posed a flight risk.
However, sources indicate that the US Attorney General has yet to provide the requested extradition documents to the State Attorney handling the case, resulting in delays in the proceedings.
“In the absence of sighting a copy of the extradition request, he could not be deemed a flight risk,” a source close to the matter explained.
Mr Ofori-Atta was arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on January 6, 2026, and has since been held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia until his release on bail.
Meanwhile, in Ghana, the Office of the Special Prosecutor is continuing its corruption-related investigations involving the former minister and is awaiting developments in the US proceedings.
The case remains ongoing, with attention now focused on whether the extradition request will be formally submitted before the next court date.
Myjoyonline