Lawyer for the former Finance Minister, Frank Davies, has disclosed that the Ken Ofori-Atta had already filed a petition to adjust his immigration status in the United States before he was picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to his legal team, the former minister is not an illegal immigrant, contrary to claims circulating in the public space following his detention.
Speaking on Metro TV and monitored by NewsDesksGH on January 12, lawyer Frank Davies said court proceedings have already been scheduled to address the immigration issue.
“The matter is billed for a court session on the 20th of January. Let me put it out there, people who are muddying the waters and saying all kinds of things when they have little or no knowledge at all should wait and be educated.”
According to Mr. Davies, Mr. Ofori-Atta had filed a petition to extend his stay in the United States before his arrest, but ICE was not fully aware of those filings at the time.
“There are proceedings in court ostensibly for a deportation order. On the back of the fact that ICE are suggest that Kenneth Nana Yaw Kuntunkunu Ofori-Atta is an illegal immigrant, but he is not an illegal immigrant.”
“Ken has put in a petition through his lawyers for an adjustment of his immigration status. At the time that the ICE picked him they had no knowledge of that petition, and even if they had any knowledge I must say it was limited,”
“He had filed a petition for an extension of his stay, and to continue to remain in the United States. Until that process is determined and dealt with by a court of competent jurisdiction in the U.S., ICE are disabled from deporting Ken.”
Clarifying the nature of the scheduled court session, Lawyer Davies noted that what is going to happen on 20th January is called a notice to appear and stressed that it has nothing to do with extradition or criminal proceedings.
“It is purely an administrative immigration process. It has nothing, absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any extradition proceedings.”
Ken Ofori-Atta was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on January 7 over questions surrounding the status of his stay in the United States.
The Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai, later stated that Ghanaian authorities had collaborated with U.S. law enforcement agencies in the matter. He said that Mr. Ofori-Atta’s U.S. visa was revoked in June 2025.
The former Finance Minister is also wanted by the Attorney-General and the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigations relating to the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) deal, the National Cathedral project, and other corruption-related matters.
