I wonder why the foreign minister will be waving a white handkerchief – Ofori-Atta’s lawyer
A member of the legal team for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Frank Davies, has criticised the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, over claims that the United States has assured Ghana it will not interfere in the extradition process.
Responding to the minister’s comments on JoyNews on January 14, 2026, Davies played down the significance of the remarks, saying they do not amount to any concrete assurance that Ofori-Atta will be extradited to Ghana.
He stressed that statements attributed to US officials should not be interpreted as a guarantee.
“… If you all understand without prejudice, I wonder why the foreign minister will be waving a white handkerchief as if any significant victory has been coped. Without prejudice means without prejudice,” he said.
Davies explained that extradition matters are guided by international law and strict legal procedures, not political statements or assurances.
“Generally, no extradition requires the involvement of the country where the person is located (sic) and here is why. There are sovereignty issues. A country has jurisdiction over people and territory within its borders. So, any person of interest, suspect or accused person could be picked up,” he explained.
He noted that extradition processes are usually based on treaties and agreements between countries and must follow due process.
“The requested state needs to verify the request and ensure that it meets or conforms with legal standards. This is what the foreign affairs minister has to understand,” he added.
According to Davies, the statement credited to the US ambassador simply shows respect for legal procedures rather than approval of extradition.
“So, the mere fact that the American ambassador said they will not stand in the way of Ghana, it means that he, the ambassador, is cognizant of the fact that there has to be proper due process,” he insisted.
He also pointed out that international law allows for certain exceptions such as provisional arrest and Interpol Red Notices, but said these do not apply to Ofori-Atta’s case.
“And there are significant exceptions. There’s something known as provisional arrest. Some treaties allow for temporary detention without prior approval. There’s also Interpol Red Notice, which we are all conversant with now in this country that is meant to facilitate international cooperation,” he stated.
He added, “But of course, you know that in Ken’s particular situation, the Red Notice was pulled down because it didn’t meet the required standards and requirements. There’s also what we call unilateral action. A country might arrest someone without formal extradition but this is rare. It happens rarely because it risks violating international law.”
Davies questioned why the foreign minister chose to make his engagement with the US ambassador public, warning that it could create false expectations.
“… I cannot comprehend why the foreign minister would decide to put this in the public domain as if tomorrow Ken would be removed from America and brought down to Ghana… I didn’t think that it was any useful for the foreign minister to come and say what he said after having a personal conversation with the American ambassador,” he concluded…CONTINUE MORE READING>>>