The Attorney-General, Dr Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that the detention of the country’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is linked to the flagged Strategic Mobilisation Limited contracts with the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Contrary to reports that he had overstayed his visa, the A-G said the visa had rather been revoked.
“This is not exactly about immigration. His visa is not expired. It expires in February. No, it was revoked. I am telling you this on authority,” he is quoted as saying by JoyNews.
According to him, the revocation followed an extradition request he sent in respect of the OSP – the SME investigation.
“I have been working with the Americans diligently on him. And the visa was revoked. And that is how come that he lost his immigration status in the United States.”
“I want Ghanaians to know that he just didn’t overstay his visa. The visa was actually revoked,” Dr Ayine said.
Following the revocation in July 2025, the US gave him up to November 29 to leave the country which he defied leading to his arrest on January 6, 2026, after efforts to apprehend him on January 4 failed, according to Dr Ayine.
The cousin of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo left Ghana exactly a year ago for the US.
He was subsequently charged for suspected corruption and corruption-related offences over the SML deal late last year by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
He is facing over 70 charges alongside seven others.
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Source:
opemsuo.com