Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, has confirmed that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was medically assessed and cleared for detention by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following his arrest over immigration-related concerns.
Speaking to Joy News on Monday, January 12, Ambassador Smith disclosed that ICE arranged for medical professionals to evaluate Mr Ofori-Atta shortly after his apprehension. According to him, the assessment was conducted by qualified medical personnel attached to the detention facility and not by ICE officers themselves.
“The ICE officials confirmed he was all right. They had medical staff determine whether he was fit for detention, and they were satisfied that he could be held safely,” Ambassador Smith stated.
He explained that although Mr Ofori-Atta is on prescribed medication, he was not under the immediate supervision of a doctor at the time of his detention. However, the former minister was allowed to continue taking his medication while in custody, which made it possible for him to be placed in the detention centre.
Ambassador Smith further clarified that standard procedure requires detainees with serious or life-threatening medical conditions to be transferred to external medical facilities rather than held in detention. “If there were any serious health concerns, they would have sent him to an outside medical facility,” he noted, stressing that no such referral was deemed necessary in this case.
The Ambassador also revealed that the Ghanaian Embassy attempted to gain consular access to Mr Ofori-Atta following his detention. However, the effort was unsuccessful due to the former minister’s insistence on having his lawyers present during any engagement with embassy officials.
“We requested access to ensure that he was being treated properly in line with international protocols,” Ambassador Smith explained. “But just before the visit, ICE informed us that he had refused to meet unless his legal representatives were present.”
According to him, embassy officials waited for several hours but were ultimately denied access after Mr Ofori-Atta maintained his position. “The detainee, being the ex-minister, refused to see us under any circumstances,” the Ambassador said, describing the situation as disappointing but one that had to be respected.
He emphasised that the embassy did not attempt further visits after the refusal, noting that Mr Ofori-Atta’s decision was within his rights. “It was unfortunate, but we had to respect his choice,” he added.
Ken Ofori-Atta has been held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia since January 6, 2026, over questions surrounding his immigration status in the United States. The former Finance Minister had travelled to the US to seek medical care and has since become the subject of heightened public and political attention both in Ghana and abroad.
As developments continue, the case remains closely watched, given its legal, diplomatic, and political implications.
