The United States Immigration Court in Virginia has adjourned proceedings in the immigration case of former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to Monday, 27 April 2026, following a hearing on Tuesday, 20 January 2026.

The session, held at the Annandale Immigration Court before Immigration Judge David A. Gardey, centred on questions about Mr Ofori-Atta’s immigration status and bond application after he was detained earlier this month by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

At the hearing, the judge granted a request from Ofori-Atta’s legal team to conduct the proceedings in private, citing the sensitive nature of the matters to be discussed. As a result, initial portions of the matter that were open to the public online via Webex were subsequently closed to viewers.

Background to Detention

Mr Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 until early 2024, was detained by ICE on 6 January 2026 amid concerns over the legality of his stay in the United States after the revocation of his visitor visa.

His legal representatives have said he has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a procedure under U.S. immigration law that allows certain non-citizens to remain in the country legally while their status is being reviewed. They maintain that he has been cooperating fully with authorities and that his detention is part of routine immigration procedures.

The Ghanaian government, however, has stated that his visa was formally revoked rather than simply expired, rendering his stay in the U.S. untenable without legal basis. Officials have stressed that deportation is a civil process separate from any criminal proceedings in Ghana.

Extradition and Legal Context

In Ghana, Mr Ofori-Atta faces multiple criminal charges, including alleged corruption and corruption-related offences linked to state contracts and procurement processes, and has been declared wanted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

The Attorney-General’s Department has also filed an extradition request with U.S. authorities. At the January hearing, U.S. prosecutors challenged Ofori-Atta’s bail application in part on the basis of this pending extradition request, though the court noted that documentary proof of extradition had not yet been submitted and directed that any such evidence be filed by 19 February 2026.

Next Steps

With the court now adjourned to 27 April 2026, the judge is expected to revisit both the bond request and any documentation relating to the extradition process. Until that time, Mr Ofori-Atta is slated to remain in ICE custody at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia.