Ken Ofori-Atta declared medically fit for ICE detention before hospital admission – Ghana’s US High Commissioner
Frank Ocansey
Editor, PulseView
Ken Ofori-Atta: Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United States, Victor Smith, has disclosed that former Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta was medically assessed and declared fit for detention by officials of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before he was later admitted to a medical facility.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, Mr Victor Smith explained that shortly after Mr Ofori-Atta’s arrest, ICE arranged for medical professionals attached to the detention facility to examine him to determine whether he was medically suitable to be held in custody.
“Yes, the ICE people confirmed that he was all right. Initially, they had medical people to determine whether he was fit to be held in the detention centre, and they were convinced and assured that he was okay,” the High Commissioner stated.
According to Mr Victor Smith, although the former finance minister, Ofori-Atta, was on medication at the time of his detention, he was not under active medical care and had access to his prescribed drugs while in custody, making detention permissible under ICE procedures.
“He was on medication, but he wasn’t seeing any doctor at the time, and he had his medication, so he could be put in the detention centre,” he said.
He stressed that the assessment was conducted strictly by qualified medical personnel, not ICE officers themselves, adding that detainees with serious medical conditions are typically referred to external healthcare facilities rather than kept in detention centres.
“If he had any serious medical condition, they would have referred him to a medical facility outside the detention centre,” Mr Victor Smith explained.
Consular access declined by Ofori-Atta
The High Commissioner further revealed that the Ghanaian Embassy in the United States made efforts to secure consular access to Mr Ofori-Atta following his arrest, in line with international diplomatic protocols. However, those efforts were unsuccessful because the former minister declined to meet embassy officials without his lawyers present.
“I discussed it with the consular officers of my embassy, and we decided to make a request to ensure that he was being treated properly, as per international protocols,” Mr Victor Smith said.
He noted that ICE initially agreed to the embassy’s request to visit the former finance minister, but the arrangement was later reversed after Mr Ofori-Atta declined the meeting.
“Just before we set out, the ICE agents came again and said the detainee had refused to meet with us without his lawyers,” he stated.
After several hours of waiting, ICE officials returned with a final response.
“After about a few hours, they came back to us to say the detainee, being the ex-minister, had refused now to see us under any circumstances,” Mr Smith added.
Embassy expresses disappointment
Mr Victor Smith said ICE officers personally visited his office to communicate the developments, describing the former minister’s refusal to grant consular access as disappointing, particularly as no other visitors had seen him at the time.
The High Commissioner reiterated that the embassy’s actions were guided solely by the need to ensure that a Ghanaian citizen was treated fairly and in accordance with international consular standards.
