The former African minister in ICE detention

Kenneth Ofori-Atta was once the second most powerful man in Ghana. He is now facing an uncertain future in ICE custody in Virginia.

The former Ghanaian finance minister, who is wanted in his home country, was detained in what appears to have been a targeted operation, rather than the scattergun raids on immigrant communities that ICE has mounted across the US.

Arrested by federal agents in January as he left an apartment one mile from the White House in Washington DC, Ofori-Atta is the most senior politician to be detained by ICE in the crackdown on immigrants that has been spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.

The stunning fall from grace for the investment banker-turned-politician has led to speculation from observers of the case about what, if any, informal understandings ICE maintains with countries that have agreed to receive deportees from the US.

Ofori-Atta, who served in the administration of his cousin Nana Akufo-Addo, arrived in the US in May, according to ICE, where he had been receiving medical treatment for cancer. He is currently facing a slate of corruption-related charges in Ghana linked to his tenure as finance minister between 2017 and 2024.

Officials in Accra had demanded that Ofori-Atta return to Ghana for questioning as part of the investigation, as well as separate probes that are examining alleged irregularities in contracts involving ambulance procurement and the construction of a controversial cathedral.

Interpol, on the basis of a Ghanaian request, issued a Red Notice for Ofori-Atta’s arrest in June.

In February, after Ofori-Atta had already been detained by ICE, the Red Notice was withdrawn and deleted following an appeal initiated by his lawyers to an independent body that assesses whether requests are compliant with Interpol procedures. Ofori-Atta’s lawyers say the panel determined that Ghana’s request was “primarily of a political nature”.

Ghanaian prosecutors, who have submitted a request to the US to send Ofori-Atta back to Accra, published a case update last week that said the decision still “paves the way for extradition proceedings to transfer him to Ghana for prosecution”.

Ofori-Atta denies all charges against him. His lawyers told the FT that the charges were politically motivated and said they had attempted to find ways for him to co-operate remotely while undergoing treatment in the US, but that this was refused. They also say no extradition proceedings are currently under way.

The Ghanaian embassy in Washington, the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Special Prosecutor did not respond to requests for comment.

Ghana, which has been led by President John Mahama since 2025, announced in September that it had struck a deal with the US to accept west Africans deported by ICE. This is seen by analysts as an example of Accra’s newfound adeptness at working with the Trump administration.

“Ghana has some leverage with ICE,” said Bright Simons of the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in Accra. “There is a Trump-era transactionalism which Ghana is learning to play very effectively.”

This has made some close to Ofori-Atta nervous. “We are worried that Ghanaians will continue to sweeten the deal by taking deported criminals from the US in exchange for Kenneth,” said a person close to him.

ICE told the FT that Ofori-Atta had overstayed his visa. “Ofori-Atta is an illegal alien and a foreign fugitive . . . facing corruption charges in his home country,” ICE said in a statement.

“The Trump administration has been abundantly clear: aliens must respect our laws or face the consequences,” it continued. “Overstaying a visa is an immigration law violation that can result in deportation.” 

ICE did not respond to follow-up questions on whether its detention of Ofori-Atta was linked to the US’s ongoing co-operation with Ghana.

Enayat Qasimi, who is representing Ofori-Atta in the US, said the immigration landscape in the US was “complicated”. Ofori-Atta has a hearing scheduled for April and a petition for permanent residency pending that allowed him to remain in the US legally, he added.

Qasimi said deporting Ofori-Atta would be illegal and he was optimistic about securing his client’s release from ICE detention.

There is little sympathy for Ofori-Atta in Ghana. Under his watch, the country underwent an economic crisis characterised by soaring inflation, a collapsing currency and widespread poverty.

Accra eventually defaulted on its debts and was forced to seek a $3bn bailout from the IMF that was granted on the proviso that Ghana restructure its domestic debt. Many Ghanaians saw the value of their savings wiped out.

Kojo Asante, a researcher at the Centre for Democratic Development, said Ofori-Atta had become a popular symbol for resentment at the economic mismanagement and chronic corruption that had characterised the years in which Ofori-Atta and Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party ran Ghana.

“He became emblematic of NPP failures,” said Asante, adding that Ofori-Atta had become so disliked that many Ghanaians were pleased by the situation that he found himself in.

Ghanaians voted overwhelmingly for Mahama of the National Democratic Congress in December 2024. Mahama ran on an anti-corruption platform and as president launched a campaign dubbed Operation Recover All Loot.

“There are still very high expectations,” said Asante, adding that there was public pressure to prosecute officials associated with the Akufo-Addo era.

This has led to claims by lawyers representing Ofori-Atta that Accra is making an example of their client and that it is not possible for him to get a fair hearing in Ghana.

“They are chasing a man, not a crime,” said Qasimi.