Embattled former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta is being held by US ICE officials
Photos have surfaced of the Caroline Detention Centre, which is a former Virginia regional jail now operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where embattled former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is being held over visa and immigration status issues.
The images show the facility’s exterior and interior, which accommodate detainees while their immigration cases are processed.
The centre, previously known as Peumansend Creek Regional Jail, has a capacity of 336 adult detainees and currently holds around 120 individuals with criminal records, including Ken Ofori Atta.
See details of the US ICE facility where Ken Ofori-Atta is being held
Meanwhile, his legal team in public notice issued on January 6, 2026, said his detention is “administrative and related to immigration status,” not a US criminal conviction.
Ken Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2023, was detained on January 6, 2026.
According to his lawyers he has a pending “petition for adjustment of status”, which allows individuals to remain in the country while their application is reviewed.
His lawyers also say he is cooperating fully with ICE and expects a swift resolution.
His detention comes amid ongoing legal issues in Ghana, where the Office of the Special Prosecutor has charged him and seven others with 78 counts of corruption related to government contracts, including the Ghana Revenue Authority and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract.
In December 2025, the government of Ghana formally requested his extradition to face prosecution.
For now, Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to remain in custody at the Caroline Detention Centre for several days as his legal team works with ICE to regularise his status and subsequent release.
