The United States has granted permanent residency to former Ghanaian Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, despite his ongoing corruption case and fugitive status in Ghana.
A U.S. immigration court approved Ofori-Atta’s Form I-485 application for lawful permanent residency on June 16, 2026, according to a statement released by his legal team.
The 66-year-old former Minister has been in the United States since January 2025, where he travelled for medical treatment, including surgery for prostate cancer.
His lawyers disclosed that he was later arrested by U.S. immigration authorities in January over issues relating to the status of his stay in the country, stressing that the matter was unrelated to the criminal allegations he faces in Ghana.
The statement, signed by his solicitor, Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, confirmed that the immigration court approved his application for adjustment of status.
Ofori-Atta was declared a fugitive by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in February 2025 and was formally charged with corruption in November of the same year.
His legal team, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline & Partners, said the court carefully considered the actions taken by the OSP, including its decision to declare him a fugitive while he was undergoing medical treatment in the United States and while his lawyers remained in communication with investigators in Ghana.
According to the lawyers, the court also examined the criminal charges brought against Ofori-Atta in Ghana and found them to be lacking credibility. They, however, emphasised that the ruling was made strictly within the framework of U.S. immigration law and was limited to determining whether he met the legal requirements for adjustment of status.
“The Court finds the criminal charges in Ghana not credible. However, the court’s ruling was made within the context of United States immigration proceedings. The court’s decision was focused on whether Mr. Ofori-Atta met the legal requirements for adjustment of status,” the statement said.
