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Ghana’s former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over immigration status issues.
Lawyers for the former minister confirmed the detention on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, assuring the public that steps are being taken to regularise his status and secure his release.
Reports indicate that Mr Ofori-Atta is currently being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia, a centre operated by ICE. The facility, formerly known as the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail, was repurposed into an immigration detention centre following its closure in 2017.
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The detention centre, located about four miles north of Fort A.P. Hill along Route 301, sits on approximately 150 acres of land and has the capacity to house up to 336 undocumented adult immigrants.
It operates under a five-year agreement between Caroline County and the United States Department of Homeland Security for the detention and care of administrative detainees.
The facility consists of seven buildings, including an administrative block and six residential units for detainees. One of the residential units is designated for women, while the remaining five house male detainees.
Each unit has a common area, though amenities vary, with some units equipped with televisions and recreational facilities, while others have televisions installed inside individual cells.
Detainees are assigned to units based on a classification system determined by immigration and criminal history. Officials categorise individuals into levels ranging from low to high custody, with those deemed higher risk or with criminal records held under stricter conditions.
The detention adds to the legal woes the former finance minister is currently facing.
He is among eight persons facing 78 counts of alleged corruption in relation to the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The charges reportedly include alleged breaches of Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and Section 92(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).
Meanwhile, Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal team has reiterated that the issues leading to his detention in the United States are immigration-related and expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved through due legal processes.
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