Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has secured a major legal reprieve in the United States after an immigration judge approved his application for adjustment of status, following months of proceedings that included his detention by US immigration authorities.
During an oral ruling at the Annandale Immigration Court on June 15, 2026, Judge David Gardey acknowledged the impact the detention and related legal proceedings had on Ofori-Atta’s health.
The judge noted that Ofori-Atta had been detained over criminal allegations and that his health had deteriorated during the period.
“I know that you’ve been through a difficult period of time, that you were detained based on these criminal charges… your health suffered as a result,” Judge Gardey said.
He subsequently ruled that Ofori-Atta had established his entitlement to an adjustment of status.
The decision follows a period of intense legal challenges after US immigration authorities detained the former minister while efforts were made to remove him from the country.
Ofori-Atta reportedly suffered a medical emergency while in detention and was taken to the emergency department of Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
His legal team had raised concerns about the impact of continued detention on his health, particularly given his pre-existing medical conditions.
The former minister has previously suffered from several health complications, including high blood pressure, liver-related illness and prostate cancer.
His health reportedly worsened after he contracted COVID-19 in October 2024 and required an extended period of hospitalisation in Ghana.
The illness was followed by liver complications and further medical treatment, including specialist care at the Mayo Clinic in the United States.
During the Akufo-Addo administration, then Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was required to read the national budget on behalf of Mr Ofori-Atta while the Finance Minister was receiving medical treatment.
In the latest immigration proceedings, Judge Gardey considered Ofori-Atta’s medical history and his presence in the United States for treatment as part of the circumstances surrounding his case.
The judge also found that the criminal allegations against the former minister, brought by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor, lacked a credible basis.
According to the ruling, Ofori-Atta had presented significant evidence indicating that he had not engaged in criminal wrongdoing.
Judge Gardey concluded that the positive factors in his case outweighed the negative considerations and exercised discretion in his favour.
He subsequently wished Mr Ofori-Atta and his family well after acknowledging the difficult period they had experienced.
Further proceedings on related immigration matters have been scheduled.
