Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is scheduled to appear before a United States immigration court on June 15, 2026, in a substantive hearing that could shape both his bid to remain in America and Ghana’s ongoing efforts to secure his return to face criminal prosecution.
Court documents show the case has been set for an individual hearing at 1:00 pm before Judge David A. Gardey at the Annandale Immigration Court in Virginia, with proceedings expected to be conducted virtually.
The June date marks a significant development in the protracted legal standoff. Unlike earlier procedural appearances, the June 15 hearing is expected to examine the substantive merits of Ofori-Atta’s immigration case and the arguments surrounding his right to remain in the United States.
Ofori-Atta was released from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention by judicial order on April 7, 2026, after a court granted him bail of $65,000. His Ghanaian legal team, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners, confirmed at the time that he had reunited with his family and remained fully committed to pursuing his rights through due process under US law.
Ofori-Atta’s US-based lawyer, Enayat Qasimi, has indicated his client is pursuing a pathway to residency in the United States rather than returning to Ghana, where he faces corruption-related charges. The lawyer has raised concerns about fair trial guarantees, describing the case as having a political dimension.
Authorities in Accra are seeking his extradition to answer more than 70 criminal charges alongside five others in ongoing corruption investigations, including allegations linked to the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract. The Office of the Special Prosecutor’s 78 criminal charges against Ofori-Atta remain active, with co-accused having already appeared before the High Court in Accra.
Two distinct legal tracks are running simultaneously. The first is the US immigration process, which will determine whether Ofori-Atta can remain in the country or must be removed. The second is Ghana’s extradition request, which will be assessed under US law and applicable treaty obligations, including the dual criminality doctrine requiring confirmation that the alleged offences would be prosecutable under American law.
The June 15 hearing is expected to draw close attention in both Ghana and the United States as a potential turning point in a case that has become one of the most politically consequential legal confrontations of the current administration’s first year in office.
