The former finance minister for Ghana – Ken Ofori Atta has been arrested in the United State of America Washington D.C, by officers of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of USA on 6th January, 2026. The arrest according to sources appeared that, Ken Ofori Atta had issues with the US ICE relating to his visa expiration and indicated that, he had his visa expired on 14th February, 2025, but yet to start a new process to get it extended.
More often than not, Ken’s detention according to sources occurred similarly like some ongoing raids and swoops at factories, companies and public places where ICE will come unknowingly to conducts mass arrest. Considering the fact that, the ICE officers surrounded him directly forthwith appearance from his luxury apartment building (Westlight apartment complex 1111 24th street NW, Washington D.C), led him into a vehicle and drove him away to a detention facility called Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia, which was also 89 miles away from his abode.
Already, the former finance minister Ken Ofori Atta was declared wanted in Ghana, in the media and public space by Ghana’s Special Prosecutor on many corruption-related offences, but had failed to turn up to the call under the pretext that, he is in abroad seeking medical attention, therefore will be unavailable for any interrogation concerning the below cases:
- Contractual arrangements between strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority, aimed at enhancing revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production and the minerals and metals resources value chain.
- Termination of a contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited and Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC) for the Distribution, Loss Reduction and Associated Network Improvement Project.
- Procurement of contractors, materials and payments related to the National Cathedral project.
- Activities and payments associated with a contract awarded by the Ministry of Health, which was initially commenced by the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited for the purchase and after-sales service and maintenance of 307 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 305 CDI Ambulance, for the National Ambulance Service.
- Payments and utilization of funds from the Tax Refund Account for the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Stemming from the above, many Ghanaians believe that Ken Ofori Atta purposefully left Ghana in order to elude himself from accounting for the losses made under his Ministry during his term and therefore, his arrest in the US is merited.
Controversies Surrounding the Detention
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice – Dr. Dominic Ayine speaking on JoyNews (Newsfile), has revealed that Ken Ofori Atta US visa was actually revoked in July 2025 by the US authorities, in which the Department of their State gave him up to 29th November, 2025, to leave US but he had refused and wanted to extend his visa stay of “seeking medical attention”.
Ayine vehemently announced that, the speculation in the public space by Ofori-Atta’s Lawyer in saying Ken is suffering from some chronic ailment and therefore his health specialist in the US suggested the extension of his visa stay to properly treat and cure him, is never true; and as a matter of fact, the US authorities had heard of his “wanted warrant” in Ghana and needed him to respond to that.
Embassy of Ghana Response on Ken Ofori-Atta
On 10th January, 2026, the Embassy of Ghana to the US in a press release also announced that, Ken Ofori-Atta has declined their Consular Assistance given to detainees in the US, on the grounds that, he will only engage the Embassy of Ghana to the US Officials in the presence of his legal team, thus, he dismissed them.
Current updates are that, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta is expected to appear in court on 20th January, 2026 in the United States concerning his arrest.