A United States federal judge has asked the government to provide documentary proof of Ghana’s extradition request for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, as he continues to be held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over concerns about his stay in the country.
Mr Ofori Atta remained in ICE detention after a closed door hearing on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, that focused on his application for release on bond, the American equivalent of bail.
During the session, attorneys for the US government objected to granting him bond on the grounds that an extradition process was underway. However, Judge David A. Gardey said he could not make any decisions about the extradition claim because no formal evidence had been presented to substantiate that a request had been filed.
In his ruling, the judge instructed federal prosecutors to submit official documents supporting Ghana’s extradition request by February 19, 2026, or risk having the matter set aside. The case has been adjourned, with the next hearing, which will consider both the bond application and any submitted extradition materials, scheduled for April 27 at 1:00 p.m.
Until that date, Mr Ofori Atta will stay in ICE custody at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia, where he has been held since early January when authorities took him into immigration detention.
His detention arose after concerns were raised about his status in the United States, including whether he was remaining in the country legally following the expiration or revocation of his visa. Ghanaian legal representatives previously stated that he has a pending petition to adjust his status, a process that can allow a foreign national to remain in the US while applying for a different visa type.
The issue has drawn widespread attention in Ghana, coming on the heels of corruption and related charges filed against Mr Ofori Atta by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in November 2025. His extended stay in the US, originally for medical reasons, and subsequent ICE detention have intensified calls for clarity on extradition and legal compliance on both sides of the Atlantic.