Ghana has formally asked the United States government to extradite former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta and his former chief of staff, Ernest Darko Akore, to face corruption charges in Accra, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has said.
Dr Ayine announced on Thursday that his office had completed and transmitted the extradition request to the United States Department of Justice on 10 December 2025. The move follows criminal charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in Accra, which accuses the two men of complicity in alleged corruption and corruption-related offences.
The OSP has charged Mr Ofori-Atta, Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and several former officials with a total of 78 counts of corruption and related offences. These charges centre on alleged irregularities in revenue-assurance contracts between SML and the Ghana Revenue Authority, among other matters.
The investigations are part of a broader probe into financial misconduct during Mr Ofori-Atta’s tenure as finance minister from 2017 to 2024. The allegations encompass multiple high-profile contracts, including revenue assurance arrangements and other procurement matters.
The push for extradition stems from the former minister’s refusal to appear before investigators in Ghana. After repeated invitations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal team informed authorities earlier in 2025 that he was abroad undergoing medical treatment, a claim that was not formally documented to the satisfaction of the OSP.
When he did not return as agreed, the OSP declared him a fugitive from justice and sought an INTERPOL Red Notice to secure his arrest internationally. A Red Notice was subsequently published, although later reports clarified that proceedings around the notice’s status were ongoing.
The extradition request lodged by the Attorney-General’s office represents the next procedural step in bringing the accused back to Ghana to face prosecution. The United States judiciary will now determine whether the request meets the legal threshold for extradition under American law.
Dr Ayine acknowledged that Mr Ofori-Atta has engaged experienced American lawyers to contest the extradition. In the United States, extradition proceedings involve federal courts and allow multiple layers of judicial review, from district courts through to appeal courts and even the Supreme Court.
“It means there is going to be a fight in the federal courts,” Dr Ayine said, adding that his office was prepared for a potentially protracted legal process.
The Attorney-General reiterated that the government remained committed to accountability and due process. He appealed to Mr Ofori-Atta to consider returning to Ghana voluntarily, saying he would be treated fairly and afforded a full legal defence under Ghanaian law.
The extradition request marks a significant moment in Ghana’s high-profile anti-corruption drive, illustrating the government’s willingness to use international legal mechanisms to compel the return of citizens facing serious criminal charges.
Whether the United States courts grant the extradition request will depend on legal arguments presented by both sides. If approved, the former finance minister and his co-accused could be returned to Ghana to stand trial on the 78 charges. If not, the case could be contested through successive appeals in the US legal system.
The unfolding legal battle is likely to attract sustained attention in Ghana and abroad, with implications for cross-border cooperation in high-level corruption cases.
