A United States Immigration judge on June 15, 2026, ruled that the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) has not provided credible evidence linking former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to any criminal wrongdoing.
Details of this ruling have now come to the attention of the Ghanaian media, just about a month after Mr. Ofori-Atta’s lawyers said he had been granted permanent residency in the US.
The former minister had previously been detained by ICE for overstaying his visa. Ghanaian authorities had also tried to secure his extradition during that period.
Read Also: Ken Ofori-Atta Granted Permanent Residency in the US
US authorities, specifically the Department of Homeland Security, had opposed his application, citing pending criminal charges filed against him in Ghana.
However, the judge said the evidence contained broad allegations but lacked sufficient facts to prove that Ofori-Atta had personally benefited from public office or had taken part in a criminal conspiracy.
“The court carefully reviewed the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s affidavit and the court finds that the affidavit is lacking in any persuasive proof or evidence that the respondent… has engaged in any criminal wrongdoing as alleged, as minister of finance or otherwise, or that the respondent personally profited from his work as a government official in Ghana,” Judge David Gardey of the Annandale Immigration Court said.
“The lack of any persuasive evidence indicating any kind of criminal wrongdoing or criminal conspiracy involving the respondent in the OSP’s affidavit is powerful evidence. The respondent has not been credibly charged or credibly been shown to engage in any wrongdoing in Ghana,” the ruling said further.
Ghana’s case against Ken Ofori-Atta
Mr Ofori-Atta remains a subject of criminal charges in Ghana following corruption-related charges filed by the OSP in November 2025.
Read Also:
OSP Files Corruption Charges Against Ken Ofori-Atta, 7 Others in SML Deal
OSP Redeclares Ken Ofori-Atta Wanted, Issues Interpol Red Notice for his Arrest
Reacting to the recent ruling, the OSP said on Tuesday that it was not involved in immigration hearings in the United States involving Mr. Ofori-Atta, and that the OSP’s involvement relates only to extradition proceedings against Mr. Ofori-Atta through the Attorney-General, as the central authority.
“The OSP reiterates that the extradition packet is not before the immigration court. The credibility or otherwise of the criminal charges against Mr. Ofori-Atta is a matter for determination by the courts in Ghana, which have jurisdiction to determine his guilt or innocence. Such matters are not determined by an immigration court in the United States,” the Office noted.