A United States immigration judge has ordered the federal government to provide documentary evidence of an extradition request from Ghana as former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta remains in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
During a closed-door hearing on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at an immigration court in Virginia, Judge David A. Gardey declined to rule on a bail application after state attorneys argued that Mr. Ofori-Atta should remain detained due to a pending extradition request.
The judge noted that the court cannot act on mere assertions and directed the government to file any supporting evidence by February 19, 2026. Mr. Ofori-Atta, who has been in the United States since January 2025 seeking treatment for prostate cancer and post-COVID complications, was arrested on January 6 after authorities alleged he no longer held lawful status following the revocation of his visitor visa.
His legal team maintains that he has a pending petition for adjustment of status and is a law-abiding individual fully cooperating with ICE. The former minister, who led Ghana’s finance ministry through significant economic periods including the COVID-19 pandemic and IMF negotiations, currently faces corruption-related charges brought by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor in November 2025.
He will continue to be held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia, until the case resumes on April 27, 2026, when the tribunal will consider both the bail application and any evidence submitted regarding his extradition.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
