Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United States, Victor Smith, has suggested that the detention of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta may involve matters beyond routine immigration concerns, following the reported involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, Mr Smith said immigration-related infractions are usually handled exclusively by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He explained that the appearance of the FBI in such a situation typically points to additional layers, including possible criminal or international law enforcement considerations.
According to him, the presence of both ICE and the FBI raises the likelihood that the matter goes beyond a simple visa or residency issue. He indicated that the development could be linked to cooperation requests from Ghanaian authorities regarding issues connected to Mr Ofori-Atta’s period in public office.
Mr Smith noted that the combination of agencies involved leads him to believe that Ghana may have sought the former minister’s engagement to help clarify or address concerns that have been raised against him. He stressed that ICE alone would normally deal with immigration breaches, making the FBI’s role noteworthy.
The High Commissioner also clarified that he was not informed of any revocation of a valid US visa prior to the detention. He said no official communication from US authorities or Ghana’s Attorney General indicated that Mr Ofori-Atta’s visa status had been cancelled.
He explained that the Ghanaian embassy only became involved after the former finance minister had already been taken into custody. Once notified, the embassy initiated standard consular steps aimed at ensuring that Mr Ofori-Atta’s rights and welfare were being respected in accordance with international protocols.
Mr Smith said embassy officials formally requested access to the former minister but were unable to meet him. He disclosed that Mr Ofori-Atta declined to see embassy representatives unless his legal team was present. After several hours, officials were later informed that the former minister had decided not to meet the embassy delegation under any circumstances.
“At that point, there was nothing more the embassy could do,” Mr Smith said, adding that the refusal effectively ended the embassy’s involvement in the matter.
Meanwhile, a statement from Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal team has confirmed that he is cooperating fully with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement as legal processes continue. The lawyers indicated that the former minister has a pending application for adjustment of status, which permits an individual to remain in the United States beyond the expiry of an initial visa.
Mr Ofori-Atta remains in the custody of US immigration authorities while the matter is being addressed through legal channels, with the full scope of the case yet to be publicly clarified.
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