By: Ashiadey Dotse
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine Akuritingah, has confirmed that government has formally sent an extradition request for former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and Ernest Darko Akore, to the authorities of the United States of America.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Thursday, December 18, 2025, Dr. Ayine said the request was transmitted after his office completed all required legal and procedural processes. The extradition follows investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor into alleged corruption and corruption-related offences involving the former finance minister and his associates.
Dr. Ayine explained that his office received a formal request from the Office of the Special Prosecutor earlier this year to begin extradition proceedings, as Mr. Ofori-Atta is currently in the United States. He said a preliminary review by the International Cooperation Unit of the Attorney-General’s Department identified areas that needed clarification to meet international legal standards.
According to him, these concerns were communicated to the Office of the Special Prosecutor in a letter dated November 25, 2025, requesting additional documents. The Special Prosecutor later provided the required information on December 9, 2025, which completed the extradition process.
Dr. Ayine said the fully prepared extradition request was transmitted on December 10, 2025, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for onward submission to the United States Department of Justice.
He noted that it is now the responsibility of the U.S. judicial authorities to assess the request and decide whether there is sufficient legal basis for Mr. Ofori-Atta and Mr. Akore to be extradited to Ghana to stand trial.
The Attorney-General stressed that he could not comment on the details of the charges, since the matter is already before the High Court. However, he said the charge sheet is a public document and available for public scrutiny.
Dr. Ayine reaffirmed the government’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law, stating that all democratic and legal steps have been taken to ensure that persons accused of wrongdoing are brought back to Ghana to face justice.
This comes on the back of the back-and-forth battle between the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the former Finance Minister, Ofori-Atta, over his in-person appearance to respond to questions concerning corruption-related allegations levelled against him by the OSP.
