Celebrated American civil rights lawyer Ben Crump has been engaged to represent the family of 15-year-old Ghanaian boy Javits Badu-Nkansah Frimpong, who was shot dead while walking to school in the Bronx, New York.
His engagement has also drawn attention to his work following an announcement by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, that the government intends to extend his services to other Ghanaian nationals who have died under different circumstances in the United States in recent months.
Mr Ablakwa disclosed on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, that he had spoken with Mr Crump about the possibility of representing the families of other deceased Ghanaians.
According to the minister, approval had been granted for Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York to engage the lawyer’s services, at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
The move is intended to support efforts to secure justice for Ghanaians who have lost their lives in the United States.
“Ghana will go every length to secure justice and safeguard the dignity of our dear nationals abroad,” Mr Ablakwa stated.
He also acknowledged the cooperation and commitment of US authorities in the pursuit of justice.
Who is Ben Crump?
Ben Crump is an American civil rights attorney widely known for representing victims and families in high-profile cases involving alleged civil rights violations, police misconduct and wrongful deaths.
Over the years, he has represented families seeking accountability and justice in cases that have attracted national attention across the United States.
His legal work has frequently focused on cases involving alleged excessive use of force, racial discrimination and deaths under controversial circumstances.
His engagement in the Javits Frimpong case
Mr Crump announced on Facebook last week that his law firm had been retained to represent the family of Javits Frimpong, the 15-year-old Ghanaian who was shot dead in the Bronx on October 29, 2026, while walking to school.
In announcing the engagement, he described Javits as a young boy who had moved from Ghana to the United States a year earlier with dreams of becoming a doctor.
“We will stand with Javits’ family every step of the way until the people responsible are held accountable and his family has the answers they deserve,” he wrote.
Other Ghanaian deaths in the United States
The engagement comes amid growing concerns over the deaths of several Ghanaian nationals in different parts of the United States.
Among the reported cases is the death of 24-year-old Joseph Owusu, whose body was found inside a body bag in Canarsie, Brooklyn, on October 30, 2026, after he had reportedly been missing for about two weeks.
Authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, with the cause yet to be established in available reports.
Other cases include the shooting death of 37-year-old Akpene Diamond Tetteh in Savannah, Georgia, in February 2026, and the death of Dr Kofi Akamani in Murphysboro, Illinois, in September 2026.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, has separately disclosed that five Ghanaians had died under different circumstances since he assumed office, with firearms reportedly involved in most of the cases.
The proposed engagement of Mr Crump is expected to support Ghana’s efforts to pursue accountability and justice for the affected families.
