'Oga should be worried' — Kwaku Azar reacts as pressure mounts on Ofori-Atta after Sedina Tamakloe's extradition

Ghanaian legal scholar and social commentator Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, known popularly as Kwaku Azar has suggested that the extradition of former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu could increase pressure on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

Ms. Tamakloe-Attionu was convicted in April 2024 by the High Court and sentenced in absentia for multiple offences, including causing financial loss to the state, stealing, conspiracy, money laundering and procurement breaches.

Following the conviction, Ghana formally submitted an extradition request to the United States in July 2024 for her surrender to serve her sentence.

Upon her arrival in Ghana, officials of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prisons Service took her into custody and have begun the necessary processes for her to serve her sentence.

Reacting to the development in a social media post on Tuesday, June 9, the same day Ms. Tamakloe-Attionu arrived in the country, Kwaku Azar drew a connection between her extradition and the legal challenges facing Mr. Ofori-Atta.

"ORAL grabs Sedinam. Oga should be very worried," he wrote.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, is set to engage his counterparts at the United States Department of Justice on pending extradition requests between the two countries.

Among the notable extradition requests is that of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who is currently being sought by Ghanaian authorities.

Mr. Ofori-Atta is facing corruption-related allegations being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

He is also facing immigration-related issues after being detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).