Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has confirmed that Ghana has officially submitted an application seeking the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and an alleged associate, Ernest Darko Kore, from the United States of America.
Dr. Ayine revealed this during an address at the government’s Accountability Series held on Thursday, 18 December 2025, where he outlined the steps taken by his office in the extradition process.
He explained that the process was initiated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on 19 November 2025, when it formally applied for extradition proceedings to be commenced against the two individuals. This move, he said, followed the submission of the required case materials and clarifications to the Attorney General’s office.
According to Dr. Ayine, once the documents were received, they underwent an initial assessment by the International Cooperation Unit of the Attorney General’s Department. During this review, certain deficiencies were identified, making it necessary to request further information to complete the extradition dossier.
“As a result of those findings, we wrote to the Office of the Special Prosecutor on 25 November, outlining the gaps and requesting additional documentation to ensure the process met all legal requirements,” he explained.
He noted that the OSP responded on 9 December 2025, submitting the outstanding documents, which completed the extradition package. With the file deemed comprehensive, the Attorney General’s office proceeded to transmit the request through the appropriate diplomatic channel.
Dr. Ayine stated that the finalized extradition documents were forwarded on 10 December 2025 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for relaying the request to the relevant authorities in the United States, particularly the U.S. Department of Justice.
He cautioned, however, that the outcome of the request is no longer within Ghana’s control.
“At this stage, it is now up to the authorities of the United States—especially their judicial institutions—to decide whether there is sufficient legal justification to extradite the two accused persons to Ghana to face prosecution,” Dr. Ayine said.
He emphasized that Ghana has complied fully with all procedural and legal requirements, reaffirming the government’s commitment to due process, international cooperation, and the rule of law.
