The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has clarified that former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta remains a Ghanaian citizen and can still be extradited to Ghana, despite reports that he has secured permanent residency status in the United States.
In a statement issued on Monday, June 16, the OSP said it had taken note of media reports and a publication by a Ghana-based law firm claiming that a US immigration court granted Ofori-Atta permanent residency after allegedly finding the criminal charges brought against him by the OSP to be lacking credibility.
However, the anti-corruption agency rejected any suggestion that the US immigration proceedings have a bearing on its ongoing efforts to bring the former minister before Ghanaian courts.
“The OSP is not involved in immigration hearings in the United States involving Ofori-Atta,” the statement stressed.
According to the OSP, its involvement in the matter relates solely to extradition proceedings being pursued through the Attorney-General, who serves as the central authority in such cases.
The office further explained that the extradition request submitted against Ofori-Atta is separate from the immigration proceedings in the United States and was not before the immigration court that considered his residency application.
“The extradition packet is not before the immigration court,” the OSP stated, adding that “the credibility or otherwise of the criminal charges against Ofori-Atta would be determined by the courts in Ghana, who have jurisdiction to determine his guilt or innocence.”
The clarification comes amid growing public debate over the implications of Ofori-Atta’s reported US residency approval and whether it could affect attempts by Ghanaian authorities to have him returned to the country to face criminal proceedings.
The OSP maintains that Ofori-Atta’s new immigration status does not shield him from extradition, insisting that he remains a citizen of Ghana and is therefore still amenable to the legal processes being pursued against him.
