The Ghana Voice,
Accra, Ghana
FROM GHANA TREASURY TO U.S. CUSTODY: MANASSEH AZURE REVEALS WHERE AND WHEN ICE ARRESTED KEN OFORI-ATTA IN DC
Lawrence 10-01-2026Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta Arrested by U.S. Immigration Authorities in Washington, D.C.
By Manasseh Azure Awuni
Former Ghanaian Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was arrested on the morning of January 6, 2026, in Washington, D.C., by agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in what sources describe as a targeted operation rather than a routine immigration raid.
Mr. Ofori-Atta was apprehended at the entrance of the Westlight apartment complex, a luxury residential building located at 1111 24th Street NW in the affluent West End neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The building, known for its high-level security and proximity to major U.S. landmarks, is less than a mile from the White House and has housed prominent residents, including former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris prior to her assumption of office in January 2021.
According to sources familiar with the arrest, ICE agents surrounded Mr. Ofori-Atta as he exited the apartment building, escorted him into a vehicle, and transported him to the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia, approximately 89 miles away. The journey reportedly took about an hour and a half.
Until his arrest, Mr. Ofori-Atta was living at the Westlight with his wife and son.
Ken Ofori-Atta, born on November 7, 1959, left Ghana on January 4, 2025, traveling from Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport aboard United Airlines Flight 997 to Washington, D.C. He entered the United States on a Ghanaian passport bearing valid visas to the U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada. His U.S. visa was due to expire on February 14, 2026, while his UK and Canadian visas remain valid until 2032 and 2031 respectively.
However, Ghana’s Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that Mr. Ofori-Atta’s U.S. visa was revoked in July 2025. The U.S. Department of State subsequently directed him to leave the country by November 29, 2025—a deadline he allegedly failed to meet.
Mr. Ofori-Atta is facing corruption and corruption-related charges in Ghana over his alleged role in the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) scandal. The Government of Ghana has formally requested his extradition from the United States to stand trial.
Also charged in the SML case is Ernest Darko Akore, born February 5, 1958. Mr. Akore left Ghana on November 19, 2024, traveling to New York on Delta Airlines Flight 156 via Terminal 3 of Kotoka International Airport. He holds a U.S. visa valid until August 4, 2031.
In July 2025, a source close to Mr. Ofori-Atta indicated that the former minister had no intention of returning to Ghana to face prosecution, citing concerns about possible public humiliation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Lawyers for Mr. Ofori-Atta have stated that his arrest and detention by ICE are connected to “the status of his current stay in the United States.” He is expected to appear before a U.S. court on January 20, 2026, in relation to the immigration proceedings.
Meanwhile, diplomatic and legal attention is expected to intensify around Ghana’s extradition request as the case unfolds in both jurisdictions.