Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been released from custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following questions about his immigration status. Checks at the Caroline Detention Facility, where he had been held since January 2026, confirmed that his name no longer appears on the detention list. Facility officials declined to provide further details but confirmed his release.
Ofori-Atta’s legal team, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners (MPOBB), emphasized that the detention was related solely to issues regarding his stay in the United States and not to any criminal wrongdoing.
Despite his release, Ofori-Atta remains involved in multiple legal matters in Ghana. He and five others are facing more than 70 criminal charges connected to alleged corruption, including a controversial contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) that reportedly resulted in a loss exceeding GH¢1.4 billion to the state.
The Government of Ghana formally submitted an extradition request to the U.S. in February 2026, which U.S. authorities have confirmed receiving. Ofori-Atta is expected to appear again before the Annandale Immigration Court in Virginia on April 27, after earlier proceedings related to his immigration status were adjourned.
His first court appearance in January was conducted virtually from the detention facility. During that session, presided over by Judge David Gardey, issues such as bond redetermination and initial case review were discussed. Ofori-Atta’s visitor visa, which had expired in February, had been revoked, and he had previously been directed to leave the U.S. by November 29, 2025, a deadline he did not meet.
Legal experts note that while Ofori-Atta is now free from ICE custody, his situation remains complex. The withdrawal of an INTERPOL Red Notice in June 2025 has removed international obligations for his arrest, but the extradition request and ongoing corruption investigations continue to present significant challenges.
Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 until early 2024 under the administration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and has faced scrutiny over financial decisions made during his tenure.
