“A symbol of shame, not victory” — Azure slams Ofori-Atta’s supporters on his US Immigration status

The decision by a United States immigration court to grant former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta permanent residency status has sparked renewed moral outrage from investigative journalist Manasseh Azure, who views the development not as a legal achievement but as evidence of wrongdoing and judicial evasion.

Speaking during an appearance on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, June 20, Azure articulated a stark position: anyone celebrating Ofori-Atta’s immigration victory is endorsing flight from accountability.

Azure’s language was unsparing. He rejected the notion that a man of means and standing who has allegedly misappropriated state resources deserves congratulation for securing residency abroad while criminal proceedings loom at home.

“I don’t think there is anything honourable about a man who has lived here, built companies, built a reputation getting himself into this SML scandal and running away from justice,” Azure declared.

The journalist was equally dismissive of any attempt to frame the immigration ruling as a positive turning point. Rather, he positioned it within a narrative of evasion and disgrace — a development that ought to inspire shame, not jubilation.

“It is not a badge of honour, it is a symbol of shame and we should keep it as such. It isn’t something worth celebrating that somebody is running away from his own country,” he said.

The Immigration Court’s Decision

The U.S. court’s approval of Ofori-Atta’s I-485 application — the formal petition that allows adjustment of immigration status — was handed down during proceedings held Monday. The decision permits him to pursue lawful permanent residence in America.

During the hearing, the immigration judges grappled with the shadow cast by Ghanaian law enforcement. The Office of the Special Prosecutor had previously designated Ofori-Atta a fugitive, a declaration made at a time when he was undergoing medical care in the United States and his lawyers remained in touch with Ghanaian investigators.

The court also heard arguments challenging the legitimacy of investigative procedures employed by Ghanaian authorities — questions that appear to have factored into the immigration judge’s calculus.

What It Means Going Forward

While the U.S. immigration court’s decision creates no barrier to criminal prosecution in Ghana, legal observers warn that it may prove a significant impediment to any government effort to extradite or otherwise compel Ofori-Atta’s return to face trial.

The Allegations Against Him

The former Finance Minister stands in the dock facing an array of charges connected to financial mismanagement. Most prominent among them are accusations that a contract channelled to Strategic Mobilisation Limited resulted in losses to the state totalling more than GH¢1.4 billion.

The Special Prosecutor’s office has maintained an active investigation into Ofori-Atta’s conduct. In mid-2025, the OSP made a move toward securing an INTERPOL Red Notice after Ofori-Atta declined to respond to repeated requests for interrogation. That notice has since been rescinded by INTERPOL.

Yaw Opoku Amoako

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