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“I have formally transmitted the request for the extradition of Ofori-Atta and Ernest Darko Akore” – AG

News“I have formally transmitted the request for the extradition of Ofori-Atta and Ernest Darko Akore” – AG

Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has announced he has formally transmitted the request for the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and his Chief of Staff, Ernest Darko Akore, to the United States Department of Justice to face corruption.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Attorney General stated, “I have, on behalf of the Government of His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, taken the requisite steps to bring him to Ghana to face trial. And if I were him, this is his home; he should just join the next flight and come here.

“Under my watch, he will not be treated unfairly. You know, he will go through due process and be prosecuted, just like any other person, just like Kwabena Adu-Boahene, or Hanan (Abdul-Wahab Aludiba), or any of the persons that we have filed charges against,” he said.

The Attorney General further announced that Ken Ofori-Atta, has hired top US lawyers to fight his extradition process to Ghana.

According to Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the lawyers hired by Ken Ofori-Atta do not daunt him, and he knows there is going to be a fight in the federal courts in the US.

He revealed that the requirement for the extradition request to be tried in courts may delay the return of Ofori-Atta to Ghana, which makes it difficult to give a potential date.

He added, “I just got to know yesterday that he has hired some of the top lawyers in the United States of America, very experienced lawyers to defend him. Now, I’m not afraid at all, I am not afraid at all. But it means that there is going to be a fight in the federal courts in the US.

“If the district court says ‘no’, he will go to the circuit court, all right? If the Circuit Court says ‘no’, he is entitled to go to the US Supreme Court to fight his case.”

He added, “So, I cannot tell you that he will come tomorrow or he will come the next day. And I’m just being honest. Accounting to the people means being explicit and truthful. So this is what I mean, we are faced with.”

It will be recalled that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Kissi Agyebeng, declared Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive for failing to appear for interrogation into corruption-related investigations.

Ken Ofori Atta has been accused of causing financial loss to the state in several dealings, including the construction of the famous National Cathedral and Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA’s) – Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML), Termination of a contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited and Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC) for the Distribution and Ambulance Procurement: A Ministry of Health contract with Service Ghana Auto Group Limited.

Also, the OSP has since arraigned Ken Ofori-Atta and seven others in connection with the 78 charges filed against them in connection with the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Meanwhile, Manasseh Azure Awuni, an Investigative journalist, has revealed that former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta had three visas when he left Ghana.

The Investigative journalist highlighted that Ken Ofori-Atta left Ghana on January 4, 2025 and had a valid visa to the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.

Manasseh further detailed that the embattled Ken Ofori-Atta’s U.S. visa will expire on February 14, 2026, his UK Visa will expire on April 21, 2032, with his Canadian visa will also expire on May 31, 2031.

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