Ofori-Atta declines assistance from Ghana Embassy in US in the absence of his lawyer

The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC, has confirmed that Ghana’s former Minister for Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, has been taken into custody by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a press release issued on Friday, January 10, 2026, and signed by Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, the Embassy said it received information regarding Ofori-Atta’s detention and immediately took steps to verify the circumstances surrounding the matter.

According to the statement, following confirmation of the detention, the Embassy formally contacted the relevant detention facility to request access to Ofori-Atta in order to provide consular assistance, in line with established diplomatic and international protocols. However, officials at the facility informed the Embassy that Ofori-Atta declined to engage with consular officers at the time, indicating that he wished to do so only in the presence of his lawyers.

“Upon receiving this information, the Embassy undertook the necessary steps to verify the circumstances surrounding the matter. “Following confirmation, the Embassy formally contacted the relevant detention facility to request access to Ofori-Atta in order to provide consular assistance in line with established diplomatic and international protocols.

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Ofori Atta's rights are totally respected. Ken Ofori-Atta has been charged with corruption and corruption-related offences in Ghana for his role in the SML scandal, with the government of Ghana requesting his extradition from the government of the United States.

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Source: GhanaWeb