Franklyn Cudjoe, who leads the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, says Ken Ofori-Atta’s detention by US immigration officials is due to mistakes made by his lawyers in Ghana.
The former Finance Minister is currently in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the legality of his stay in the United States.
On Wednesday, January 7, Franklyn Cudjoe stated that Ofori-Atta’s legal counsel in Ghana gave poor advice, discouraging him from returning to face corruption allegations.
“I hold his lawyers responsible for their misguided counsel and poor advice,” he remarked.
He asserted that Ofori-Atta should have returned to Ghana much earlier, rather than being detained by ICE.
Franklyn Cudjoe characterized Ofori-Atta’s legal advisors in Ghana as “disappointing individuals” for permitting him to overstay his visa in the U.S. and subsequently face detention by ICE.
“His lawyers have proven to be among the most disappointing individuals. They have engaged in much talk, yet look at their current predicament. They are now contending with ICE, which is utterly disgraceful,” he expressed.
“They should fervently hope that they do not mishandle his case and return him to Ghana in a manner he would never have desired. I sincerely hope that nothing adverse occurs to him,” he continued.
“I do not believe this is the kind of reputation he wishes to cultivate for himself abroad,” he emphasized, asserting that the situation does not reflect poorly on Ofori-Atta.
He remarked that Ofori-Atta should have discreetly returned to Ghana to address the charges against him without any controversy.
On January 7, 2026, the legal team representing Ken Ofori-Atta, Menka-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline, and Partners, released a statement confirming that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States.
The notice indicated that the US legal team is in communication with ICE and anticipates a swift resolution of the matter.
“Mr. Ofori-Atta has an outstanding petition for adjustment of status, which permits an individual to remain in the US legally beyond the expiration of their visa. According to US law, obtaining a change of status through this process is a standard procedure,” the attorneys clarified.
“The public is therefore urged to recognize that Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, as a law-abiding citizen, is fully cooperating with ICE to resolve this issue,” they stated.
Mr. Ofori-Atta is being sought by the Attorney-General and the Office of the Special Prosecutor for charges related to the SML Deal, the National Cathedral project, among others.
He is presently in the US receiving medical treatment for a chronic illness.
While his legal representatives have assured that they will facilitate his return to Ghana, recent events suggest that the former Minister of Finance may not come back to the jurisdiction.
