Ofori-Atta Refuses Embassy Help in US Detention—Insists on Legal Team Presence
Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, a former Minister of Finance, has turned down help from the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC. He said he would only talk to embassy officials if his legal team was there. This was confirmed in a press release from Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, on January 10, 2026. It also said that Ofori-Atta had been taken into custody by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The statement said that the embassy acted quickly to find out what happened. It said, “Upon receiving this information, the Embassy undertook the necessary steps to verify the circumstances surrounding the matter,” and that they formally contacted the relevant detention facility to request access in accordance with diplomatic procedures and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. However, the mission was told by the authorities that Mr. Ofori-Atta refused to meet with consular officers at that time, insisting on having his lawyers present. The statement said, “the Embassy was informed by the facility that the detainee declined to engage with consular officials without his lawyers present,” making it clear that Mr. Ofori-Atta made this decision himself and not because US authorities refused. The embassy said it is still in touch with the right US agencies and is keeping an eye on the situation to make sure Mr. Ofori-Atta’s rights and well-being are protected. It also said it would not comment on any possible legal action to respect due process. It repeated that “the Embassy of Ghana remains in contact with the appropriate United States authorities and will continue to follow the matter closely to ensure that Mr. Ofori-Atta’s rights are totally respected.”
