Patrick Yaw Boamah is the Member of Parliament for Okaikoi Central
Member of Parliament for Okaikoi Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has cast doubt on attempts to extradite a Russian national allegedly linked to a sex tourism scandal, describing the move as legally untenable.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on February 16, 2026, Boamah argued that established diplomatic and legal processes have not been properly followed.
He first emphasised that issues involving foreign nationals should be handled through diplomatic channels.
“The Russian Embassy in Accra ordinarily engages Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on such matters, and any serious concerns should have been addressed through formal discussions between the Foreign Minister and the Russian Ambassador, with the Communications Minister present if necessary,” he stated.
Boamah questioned whether any of the alleged victims had filed official complaints with the police, noting that without a complaint, it would be difficult to initiate criminal proceedings.
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He further pointed out that no charges have been publicly filed against the Russian national, stressing that extradition processes typically require a formal charge before they can be activated.
On the legal framework, he stated that Ghana does not have an extradition treaty with Russia.
Although Ghana operates under the Extradition Act of 1960 (Act 22), he said the absence of a bilateral agreement significantly limits the country’s ability to compel Russia to surrender its citizen.
Boamah added that Russia is not a signatory to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which Ghana ratified in 2019, nor to its additional protocols.
In his view, this further weakens the legal grounds for invoking international cooperation mechanisms in the case.
He maintained that while an INTERPOL alert could potentially lead to the suspect’s arrest in a third country with the appropriate legal arrangements, any such move would still require a formal complaint and charges in Ghana.
“As lawyers, we will go to court and raise these issues and knock you out on technical grounds,” he cautioned, urging authorities to strictly adhere to due process.
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Source:
www.ghanaweb.com
