US immigration detains Ghana's former finance minister

Ghana’s former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been detained by US immigration authorities, his lawyers said on Wednesday.

Ofori-Atta, 66, who is wanted in Ghana over suspected corruption, has been in the United States since January of last year for medical treatment, including undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. He was declared a fugitive in February and formally charged with corruption in November.

His lawyers said he had applied to extend his stay in the US, but was taken into custody on Tuesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding his immigration status. They added that his legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the issue to be resolved quickly, stressing that Ofori-Atta is fully cooperating with authorities.

ICE’s online records list him as being held at a detention facility in the state of Virginia.

His arrest comes amid a period of significantly tightened visa restrictions in the US for nationals of many African countries.

Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024 under former president Nana Akufo-Addo, a period during which he oversaw controversial tax measures and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

Edited by CGTN Africa's Nyawira Mwangi