Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been remanded into jail by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a closed-door immigration hearing on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, awaiting further procedures on his bail application.
The session, held in secret at the request of his legal team, centered on a bail application. However, state prosecutors rejected the motion, stating that Mr. Ofori-Atta could not be allowed bail because Ghana had requested his extradition.
Judge David A. Gardey declined to rule on the extradition demand immediately, citing a lack of documented proof to back up the claims.
“The court cannot act on assertions without proof,” the judge stated, instructing the federal government to provide any evidence supporting an extradition request by February 19, 2026.
The hearing has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 27, at 1 pm, when the tribunal is anticipated to hear both the bail application and any papers that the government may present. Until then, Mr. Ofori-Atta will remain in ICE custody.
His Ghanaian legal counsel, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline & Partners (MPOBB), originally publicized his imprisonment on January 7, stating that he had been taken into jail the day before due to worries about his immigration status.
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“The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as of January 6, 2026, detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States,” the firm said in a public notice signed by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, Esq.
According to the lawyers, Mr. Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which is a legal process that allows people to stay in the United States after their visa expires.
“Under US law, a change of status by this method is common,” the statement continued, emphasizing that the former minister is “a law-abiding person” who is completely collaborating with ICE.
According to official US Department of Homeland Security documents, Mr. Ofori-Atta is now detained at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia.
The issue has sparked interest in Ghana, particularly considering Mr. Ofori-Atta’s previous legal and medical background.
He’s been in the United States since January 2025, seeking treatment for prostate cancer. He allegedly underwent a radical prostatectomy at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, on June 13, 2025, after testing revealed illness progression.
According to family sources, he was under medical monitoring for weeks before the procedure. He is also reportedly dealing with post-COVID multi-system inflammatory response syndrome, which he was diagnosed with in February 2021.
Mr. Ofori-Atta was Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, guiding the country’s economy through the COVID-19 pandemic, debt restructuring, and IMF discussions.
In November 2025, the Office of the Special Prosecutor indicted him and numerous others with corruption and associated crimes. The case is now in the case management conference stage.
Source: Myjoyonline
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