Washington, D.C. — Former Ghanaian Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has reportedly been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over issues related to his immigration status.
According to a public notice issued by his legal team, Ofori-Atta was arrested on January 7, 2026, following an immigration review concerning the validity of his stay in the United States.
“The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as of yesterday (6 January 2026), detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States,” the notice stated.
The statement, signed by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, added that Ofori-Atta’s US legal team is already engaging ICE and expects the matter to be resolved quickly.
“His US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously,” it said.
Lawyers Say Immigration Issue Is Administrative
The former finance minister’s lawyers explained that the detention is linked to documentation relating to his immigration status, not a criminal charge in the United States.
According to the notice, Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a legal process that allows an individual to remain in the US beyond the validity of an initial visa.
“Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorises a person to stay in the US legally beyond the period of validity of their visa,” the lawyers said.
They described the process as common under US immigration law and stressed that their client is cooperating fully with authorities.
“The public is therefore advised to note that he is a law-abiding person and is fully cooperating with ICE to have this issue resolved,” the statement added.
Wanted in Ghana Over Corruption Investigations
Ofori-Atta is currently a suspect in multiple corruption-related investigations being conducted by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which has declared him wanted and placed him on an Interpol Red Notice.
The OSP is investigating him in connection with several high-profile cases, including:
Contractual arrangements between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority
Termination of a contract between ECG and Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC)
Procurement and payments related to the National Cathedral project
Acquisition and servicing of 307 Mercedes-Benz ambulances for the National Ambulance Service
Payments and use of funds from the GRA Tax Refund Account
Despite the investigations in Ghana, Ofori-Atta’s legal team maintains that the ICE detention is strictly an immigration matter.
Matter Expected to Be Resolved
The lawyers said they are working closely with US authorities to regularise Ofori-Atta’s status and bring the issue to a swift conclusion.
“His legal team is in contact with ICE and working to resolve the matter as expeditiously as possible,” the notice said.
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