Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has retained leading legal practitioners in the United States to challenge efforts to extradite him to Ghana.
Dr Ayine made this known on Thursday, December 18, 2025, during the government’s Accountability Series, shortly after Ghana submitted a formal extradition request to the United States authorities. According to him, it is standard practice for individuals facing extradition to mount a legal challenge, and Mr Ofori-Atta is no exception.
“The person who is the subject of an extradition will naturally contest it in court. I have been informed that Mr Ofori-Atta has engaged some of the top lawyers in the United States, with considerable experience in extradition matters, to represent him,” Dr Ayine stated. He stressed, however, that this development does not deter or intimidate the Ghanaian authorities.
The Attorney-General explained that extradition proceedings in the United States are handled through the federal court system and are often complex, involving several layers of judicial scrutiny. He noted that an individual facing extradition has the right to challenge decisions at multiple levels, including the federal district court, the circuit court and, ultimately, the US Supreme Court.
“He is entitled to pursue all available legal remedies within the American judicial system if he is dissatisfied with any decision taken along the way,” Dr Ayine said. While acknowledging that the process could take a considerable amount of time, he expressed confidence in the strength of Ghana’s extradition request, emphasising that the final determination rests solely with the US courts.
Dr Ayine further revealed that his office acted on a formal request received from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on November 19, 2025, seeking the initiation of extradition proceedings against Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta and Ernest Darko Akore, both believed to be residing in the United States.
He explained that an initial assessment by an international unit working with the Attorney-General’s Department identified certain gaps in the documentation, which needed to be addressed to meet the required legal and procedural standards for extradition. As a result, the Attorney-General’s Office communicated these concerns to the OSP in a letter dated November 25, 2025, requesting additional information and clarification.
According to Dr Ayine, the OSP responded on December 9, 2025, submitting the requested supplementary documents and adequately addressing the issues raised. This response, he said, completed the extradition request package, which was then transmitted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the United States Department of Justice.
“At this stage, the matter is in the hands of the American authorities, particularly the judicial authorities, to determine whether there is a sufficient legal basis for the extradition of the two accused persons to Ghana to stand trial,” the Attorney-General said.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to accountability, due process and the rule of law, noting that Ghana will continue to work with international partners while fully respecting the legal frameworks governing extradition under both Ghanaian and United States law.
The extradition request follows criminal charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor on Tuesday, November 18, against Mr Ofori-Atta and seven other individuals over 78 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences. The other accused persons are Ernest Darko Akore, Emmanuel Kofi Nti, Ammishaddai Owusu Amoah, Isaac Crenstil, Kwadwo Damoah, Evans Adusei and Strategic Mobilisation Limited.
Mr Ofori-Atta is expected to be tried in absentia, having failed to return to Ghana after travelling to the United States.
The post Ofori-Atta Hires Top US Lawyers to Fight Extradition — Attorney-General appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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