Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, did not overstay his visa in the United States, as widely speculated, but had it formally revoked by the US State Department.
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) published details of Ofori-Atta’s detention on its official website, confirming that he was being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia.
According to the listing, the former Finance Minister is scheduled to appear before a US court on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Ofori-Atta in the US are making efforts to stop what could be his possible removal from the country. He was reportedly picked up by ICE over issues surrounding his immigration status.
In a public notice issued by his Ghana-based legal team — Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners (MPOBB) — the lawyers said the former minister had already applied for an adjustment of his status, and the matter was expected to be resolved soon.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Dr Ayine explained that the revocation occurred in July 2024, after which Ofori-Atta was given up to November 29, 2024, to voluntarily leave the country.
“I want Ghanaians to know that he just didn’t overstay his visa. The visa was actually revoked,” Dr Ayine said. “They gave him up to November 29 of 2024 to leave the United States. He did not.”
According to the Attorney General, US authorities initially planned to arrest the former minister on January 4, 2026, but that did not materialise. He was eventually apprehended on Tuesday, January 6, in the Virginia area and taken into custody.
Dr Ayine stressed that the issue should not be dismissed as a routine immigration matter, insisting the visa revocation was deliberate and tied to ongoing investigations.
“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 No, it was revoked.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 emphasised.
He revealed that the revocation followed sustained engagement between Ghanaian authorities and their American counterparts, particularly in relation to an extradition request submitted by his office.
“The extradition request that I sent was in respect of the OSP – the SME matter,” he said. “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 And the visa was revoked.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.”
Dr Ayine added that Ghana does not typically send its own lawyers to the US to prosecute extradition cases, explaining that such matters are handled by American prosecutors based on requests from Ghana.
“Normally, we don’t send our lawyers. Just like here, when they make a request, my office represents the interests of the United States of America in court,” he explained.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com