Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been granted lawful permanent residency in the United States after an immigration court approved his application for a Green Card, despite ongoing criminal investigations against him in Ghana.
The decision was delivered on June 15 during proceedings on Mr Ofori-Atta’s I-485 petition, a key step in obtaining permanent resident status. According to his lawyer, Frank Davies, the court considered the criminal allegations facing the former minister, including his previous designation as a fugitive from justice by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The court was told that the fugitive declaration was made while Mr Ofori-Atta was undergoing medical treatment in the United States and while his legal team was engaging with investigators in Ghana. Testimony was also presented on the procedures used by Ghanaian authorities in pursuing the case.
Mr Ofori-Atta remains under investigation in Ghana over allegations of financial misconduct, including claims relating to a contract with Strategic Mobilisation Limited that allegedly resulted in significant losses to the state. The OSP had previously sought an INTERPOL Red Notice after he failed to honour invitations for questioning, although the notice was later withdrawn by INTERPOL.