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Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is scheduled to appear before a U.S. immigration court on June 15, 2026, in a crucial hearing that could influence both his residency prospects and Ghana’s attempts to have him returned to face criminal charges.
Court documents show the case will be heard virtually at the Annandale Immigration Court in Virginia before Judge David A. Gardey.
The upcoming hearing follows his release from custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on April 7, after being granted bail set at $65,000. His legal representatives confirmed his release, stating that he had reunited with his family and remains committed to pursuing his rights under U.S. law.
The June session is expected to go beyond preliminary proceedings, with the court likely to assess the substance of his immigration case and arguments surrounding his continued stay in the United States.
Ofori-Atta reportedly entered the U.S. in May 2025 on a visitor’s visa that expired in November 2025 but remained in the country beyond that period, leading to his arrest in January 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, authorities in Ghana are seeking his extradition over more than 70 criminal charges tied to ongoing corruption-related investigations, including issues linked to the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited contract.
His U.S.-based lawyer, Enayat Qasimi, has indicated that his client is pursuing a pathway to residency in the U.S. and raised concerns about the fairness of a potential trial in Ghana, describing the case as politically motivated.
Ofori-Atta served under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from 2017 to early 2024 and played a central role in the previous administration’s economic policies, including Ghana’s 2023 IMF programme. His tenure, however, also attracted criticism amid the country’s debt crisis and the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.
The outcome of the June 15 hearing is expected to be closely monitored, as it may determine whether he remains in the United States or moves closer to returning to Ghana to face trial.
Source: joynews
