The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s former Minister for Finance.

This, according to his lawyers, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners (MPOBB) was in relation to the status of his current stay in the United States.

In a statement issued Wednesday night [Jan 7, 2026], it was explained that his US legal team was in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously.

"Mr. Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorizes a person to stay in the US legally past the period of validity of their visa. Under US law, a change of status by this method is common," it added.

“The Public is, therefore, advised to note that he is a law-abiding person and is fully cooperating with ICE to have this issue resolved”, the statement added.

The former Finance Minister, Kenneth Ofori-Atta and seven others are facing 78 charges over contracts awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).

The accused persons, according to the charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in November 2025 conspired and performed acts in furtherance of a plan to directly and indirectly influence the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage for SML in the award of contracts for transaction audit services, external price verification, measurement audit of downstream petroleum products, upstream petroleum audit services, and minerals audit services on behalf of the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority.

The said criminal enterprise, according to the OSP, commenced in 2017.