The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has denied claims that the criminal charges it brought against former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta were rejected by an immigration court in the United States.
In a statement released by the office under the direction of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng and viewed by classfmonline.com, the OSP stated that it had taken note of media reports and a publication credited to a Ghanaian legal firm that claimed Mr. Ofori-Atta had been granted permanent residency in the United States following an immigration court’s rejection of the veracity of the criminal charges against him.
This claim was deemed false by the OSP.
The office stated that it is only involved in extradition processes carried out through Ghana’s Attorney-General, who serves as the primary authority in such matters, and that it has no involvement in Mr. Ofori-Atta’s immigration proceedings in the United States.
It further clarified that only the Ghanaian courts, which have jurisdiction over the criminal matter, can assess the veracity of the accusations against Mr. Ofori-Atta and that the extradition request is not before the US immigration court.
The OSP emphasised that Mr. Ofori-Atta is still a citizen of Ghana and might be extradited there if the US extradition court makes that determination.
The statement was released in reaction to rumours that Mr. Ofori-Atta’s alleged US immigration status was connected to the criminal matter he was facing in Ghana.
Source: newsthemegh.com