Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is scheduled to appear before a United States court on Tuesday, January 20, following actions taken by U.S. immigration authorities regarding his legal status in the country.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly ruled that Mr Ofori-Atta no longer holds lawful status to remain in the United States. This development could potentially pave the way for extradition proceedings to Ghana after the court hearing.
However, Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has rejected claims that the matter is a routine case of visa overstay.
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According to Dr. Ayine, Mr. Ofori-Atta’s visitor visa was actively revoked by U.S. authorities and did not simply lapse due to expiration.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, January 10, the Attorney-General explained that although Mr Ofori-Atta had initially been granted permission to remain in the United States until November 29, he failed to depart within the stipulated period.
Ofori-Atta extradition
Dr Ayine stressed that the visa was still valid until February before it was withdrawn, insisting that the revocation was deliberate and linked to ongoing investigations rather than routine immigration enforcement.
“This is not simply an immigration issue. His visa did not expire; it was revoked. I state this on authority,” Dr Ayine said.
He further revealed that Ghana’s request for Mr Ofori-Atta’s extradition is connected to investigations being conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in relation to the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) case, adding that Ghanaian and U.S. authorities have been cooperating closely on the matter.
In a related development, former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, is also expected to appear before a U.S. court on January 21, as part of proceedings linked to a possible extradition to Ghana.
Myjoyonline