The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has confirmed that the arrest of former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents was triggered by an extradition request from Ghana, and not by a routine immigration violation.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, January 10, 2026, Dr Ayine explained that Mr Ofori-Atta’s detention forms part of ongoing extradition processes and is directly linked to the revocation of his US visa.

The Attorney General disclosed that investigations into the former Finance Minister began some time ago and are being conducted jointly with foreign investigators, focusing on alleged offshore financial dealings.

“I didn’t make this public, but I started investigating Ofori-Atta. In fact, I am doing it together with some foreign investigators who are tracking all the offshore dealings and related matters. We are also conducting our own investigations here. As I speak, they are still ongoing and inconclusive,” Dr Ayine said.

He described the investigations as serious and far-reaching, stressing that cooperation with US authorities commenced well before the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) made any public announcements on the matter.

“I started working with the Americans in respect of Ofori-Atta long before the OSP came out with its statement. I want Ghanaians to understand that this was not a simple case of overstaying a visa,” he clarified.

According to Dr Ayine, the US State Department revoked Mr Ofori-Atta’s visa in July and granted him until November 29 to leave the country. His failure to do so, he said, led to enforcement action by US authorities.

“The visa was revoked. It wasn’t an overstay. In July, the US State Department revoked his visa and asked him to leave the United States by November 29. He did not comply, and that is what led to the decision to arrest him,” the Attorney General explained.

He added that although the arrest was initially scheduled for January 4, 2026, Mr Ofori-Atta was eventually apprehended on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, in the Virginia area and taken into custody.

“This matter goes beyond immigration issues. I am stating this on authority—the visa was revoked,” he emphasised.

The Attorney General’s remarks corroborate earlier statements by the Acting Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, who confirmed that Mr Ofori-Atta’s detention is directly connected to extradition efforts initiated by the Attorney General’s office.

Speaking on TV3’s Newday on January 9, 2026, Amaliba dismissed claims that the arrest was due to an expired visa or an immigration overstay.

“I can confirm that this detention is part of the processes leading to his extradition. This is the handiwork of the Attorney General. It was through these efforts that US authorities revoked his stay status,” he stated.

Amaliba further clarified that Mr Ofori-Atta’s visa had not expired, insisting that any suggestion to the contrary was misleading.

“His visa has not expired. Anyone claiming this is an overstay issue is simply spreading falsehoods,” he added.