Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has urged former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to voluntarily return to Ghana, assuring him of fair treatment and due process in any prosecution.
“If I were him, this is his home—he should just join the next flight and come here. Under my watch, he will not be treated unfairly. He will go through due process and be prosecuted, just like any other person,” Dr Ayine said.
The Attorney General made the appeal during the Government’s Accountability Series on Thursday, December 18, 2025, while updating Ghanaians on efforts to extradite Mr Ofori-Atta from the United States.
Dr Ayine disclosed that the government has formally submitted an extradition request for Mr Ofori-Atta and his alleged accomplice, Ernest Darko Akore, to face multiple corruption-related charges.
He explained that the process is governed by the 1931 extradition treaty between Ghana and the US, which was renewed upon Ghana’s independence in 1957 and includes the principle of reciprocity.
Highlighting reciprocity, Dr Ayine referenced the recent cooperation in handing over social media influencer Frederick Kumi, known as Abu Trica, who was arrested in Ghana and is set to be extradited to the US over alleged romance scams.
“I would have been very happy to hand over Abu Trica, as I have done, and then get Ofori-Atta quickly in return,” he noted.
However, he cautioned that extradition involves lengthy court proceedings in the US federal system, where Mr Ofori-Atta has already hired top experienced lawyers to contest the request.
The former minister faces charges alongside others in connection with alleged irregularities, including contracts with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and other matters probed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Dr Ayine assured that all requisite steps have been taken on behalf of the government of President John Dramani Mahama to bring the accused back for trial, emphasising transparency and accountability.