The Government of Ghana has approved the engagement of renowned American civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to assist in seeking justice for Ghanaian nationals who have been killed in the United States.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced the development in a Facebook post, stating that Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York had received approval to engage the lawyer’s services at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
He said the move forms part of government's efforts to pursue accountability in the deaths of Ghanaian nationals across different American states.
Mr Ablakwa stressed that government was determined to explore every available avenue to ensure that the families of the deceased obtain justice and that the dignity of Ghanaians abroad is protected.
The engagement follows a series of reported killings involving Ghanaian nationals in the United States, some of which have attracted public attention.
Among the victims is 15-year-old Javits Badu-Nkansah Frimpong, who was fatally shot in the Bronx, New York, on October 29, 2026, while reportedly on his way to school.
Following the incident, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the teenager’s death.
Another case involves 24-year-old Joseph Owusu, whose body was discovered inside a large duffel bag abandoned on a pavement in Canarsie, Brooklyn, on October 30, 2026.
Owusu, a resident of the Bronx, had reportedly been missing for about two weeks before his body was discovered by a person searching for scrap metal.
Surveillance footage later emerged showing two unidentified individuals removing a large black bag from the boot of a white sedan and abandoning it on the pavement before driving away.
Also among the victims is 37-year-old Akpene Diamond Tetteh, a Ghanaian PhD graduate who was shot dead in Savannah, Georgia, on February 12, 2026.
The engagement of Ben Crump is expected to support efforts to pursue accountability in the reported cases and provide legal assistance in seeking justice for the affected families.
