Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has clarified that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta did not merely overstay his visa in the United States, contrary to earlier speculation, but instead had his entry permit formally revoked by the US State Department.
The clarification follows public claims by Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal team that he was detained by US authorities due to challenges linked to his immigration status. Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Dr Ayine explained that the situation goes beyond a routine visa overstay and involves a deliberate revocation by American authorities.
According to the Attorney General, the visa revocation occurred in July 2024, after which Mr Ofori-Atta was granted a grace period to voluntarily exit the United States by November 29, 2024. Dr Ayine stressed that the former minister failed to leave within the stipulated timeframe.
“I want Ghanaians to know that he didn’t just overstay his visa. The visa was actually revoked,” Dr Ayine stated. “They gave him up to November 29 of 2024 to leave the United States. He did not.”
The Attorney General further revealed that Ghana has formally submitted an extradition request for the former finance minister. However, Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal team is actively resisting the move, arguing that the criminal allegations against him are politically motivated.
Mr Ofori-Atta’s lawyers have maintained that he travelled to the United States for medical treatment and subsequently applied for an adjustment of status, a legal process that allows certain individuals to remain in the country under specific conditions. Despite this, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed his detention.
ICE records list Mr Ofori-Atta as being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia, with a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday, January 20, 2026. His Ghana-based legal representatives have expressed optimism that the immigration aspect of the matter will be resolved soon.
Dr Ayine also disclosed that US authorities initially planned to arrest Mr Ofori-Atta on January 4, 2026, but the operation was postponed until January 6, when he was eventually taken into custody in Virginia. He emphasised that the detention was not due to an expired visa, noting that the document was still valid until February before its revocation.
“This is not exactly about immigration. His visa is not expired. It was revoked,” Dr Ayine insisted, adding that he was speaking “on authority.”
The Attorney General further linked the US decision to ongoing cooperation between Washington and Accra, particularly Ghana’s extradition request connected to investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, including the SME-related case.
As legal proceedings move forward, attention is now firmly fixed on the January court hearing, which is expected to determine the next steps in what has become one of the most closely followed political and legal cases involving a former senior Ghanaian government official in recent years.
