Frank Davies, a lawyer for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has disclosed that his client is going to enjoy permanent residence in the United States.
According to Frank Davies, it is up to Ghanaian authorities to determine their next course of action following a United States immigration court decision.
He highlighted that the immigration decision had altered the circumstances surrounding Ofori-Atta’s stay in the US.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News, Frank Davies stated, “The adjustment of the residence status of Kenneth Ofori-Atta in the United States of America has been granted”.
“I do not speak for the OSP. I speak for Kenneth Ofori-Atta,” he said.
“It is up to the authorities in Ghana to explore whatever arrangements they have. As of now, Kenneth is going to enjoy permanent residence in the United States,” Mr Davies stated.
“I have said it time without number. As I speak to you now, Kenneth Ofori-Atta has not been notified of any charges pending against him in any criminal court in Ghana,” he said.
His comments follow, Ken Ofori-Atta who has reportedly secured a legal victory in the United States, with an immigration court approving his application to adjust his immigration status.
According to reports, the US court has paved the way for Ken Ofori-Atta to obtain lawful permanent residency in the United States.
Reports suggest the decision was delivered on Monday when the Immigration court considered Mr Ofori-Atta’s I-485 petition.
A Press Release by lawyers of Ken Ofori-Atta in Ghana revealed that the court examined issues surrounding the criminal investigations and charges currently facing the former minister in Ghana, with the judge reportedly raising concerns about some of the circumstances linked to the actions taken by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
“During the hearing, attention was drawn to the OSP’s earlier declaration of Mr Ofori-Atta as a fugitive from justice.
The court reportedly heard that the declaration was made while the former minister was receiving medical treatment in the United States and at a time when his legal representatives were still engaging with investigators in Ghana.
Evidence was also presented by a witness familiar with international policing and Interpol procedures, who reportedly questioned aspects of the process adopted by the Ghanaian authorities in pursuing the case”, citinews reports stated.
However, Ken Ofori-Atta is still a subject of multiple criminal charges in Ghana arising from decisions taken during his tenure as Finance Minister.
The immigration ruling relates specifically to U.S. immigration proceedings and does not constitute a determination of guilt or innocence regarding the charges he faces in Ghana.
In related news, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a Legal practitioner and activist, has alleged that the United States government is using Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, as a bargaining chip against the NDC government.
According to Oliver Barker-Vormawor, if the United States wanted to return Ken Ofori-Atta, they would have bundled him on a flight to Ghana when they cancelled his visa.
He argued that hundreds of West African nations have been sent to Ghana despite Court orders saying they can’t, but the US wants to use Ken Ofori-Atta as leverage against the Government.
In a post shared on X, Oliver Barker-Vormawor wrote, “If the Americans wanted to return Ken Ofori-Atta, the moment they cancelled his visa, they would have bundled him on a flight to Ghana.
100s of West African nations have been sent to Ghana despite Court orders saying they can’t. Some were just bundled despite ongoing court cases and sent to Ghana. We allowed them to do this.
So for me, this is a case of if they wanted, they would.
My suspicion is that they will continue to hold on to him as leverage against the Government, so that the more political pressure mounts on the NDC for failing to bring him, the more they can use him as a bargaining chip to get even more from us.
But two can play that game! ‘Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching’.
They need to cast their mind back to what the PNDC did to them on the Soussoudis-Sharon Scranage affair.
Someone tag Mahama and his Ministers for me.
Shalom!”
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