Legal pressure appears to be mounting on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, as government officials signal that his return from the United States could be imminent.
The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, has provided fresh details on the circumstances surrounding the detention of the former senior official of the Akufo-Addo administration, indicating that processes are underway to facilitate his repatriation.
Speaking on TV3 on Saturday, January 10, Dr Srem-Sai suggested that Mr Ofori-Atta’s stay in the United States is effectively over, following his arrest by officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier in the week.
“Ofori-Atta could be back in Ghana sooner than expected,” the Deputy Attorney-General stated, stressing that the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General’s Department are actively involved in the matter and not merely observing developments.
A key clarification provided by Dr Srem-Sai concerned Mr Ofori-Atta’s immigration status. While initial reports claimed his visa had expired, the Deputy Attorney-General revealed that U.S. authorities revoked the former minister’s visa as far back as June 2025.
This disclosure was later corroborated by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, during an appearance on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme the same day.
The distinction, Dr Srem-Sai explained, is legally significant. Whereas a visa expiration occurs automatically, a revocation is a deliberate action, often prompted by disqualifying information or at the request of a foreign government.
“In June 2025, his visa was revoked. It is not an expiration. The information available to us is that his visa was revoked, meaning he has been living in the United States without a valid visa,” Dr Srem-Sai said.
He added that ICE’s intervention was a direct consequence of this status. “ICE does not act unless there are immigration issues. That is precisely what has happened,” he noted.
Dr Srem-Sai further emphasised that Ghanaian authorities are closely collaborating with relevant law enforcement agencies on the matter.
Mr Ofori-Atta’s expected return coincides with preparations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Attorney-General’s Department to prosecute major cases linked to the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) contract and the National Cathedral project.
Although the former finance minister had been in the United States for medical treatment, his legal team Menka-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce Cathline and Partners is now seeking to halt his immediate removal. The lawyers argue that a pending petition for adjustment of status should shield him from deportation.
However, Dr Srem-Sai’s assertion that Mr Ofori-Atta’s visa was revoked months earlier suggests that U.S. authorities may have already taken a definitive position on his immigration status.
