Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has received a favourable ruling from a United States immigration court after his application to adjust his immigration status was approved, bringing him a step closer to obtaining permanent residency in the country.

The decision was issued on Monday during proceedings involving Mr Ofori-Atta's I-485 application, a critical stage in the process of securing lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

According to his legal counsel, Frank Davies, the court examined matters relating to the criminal investigations and charges currently pending against the former minister in Ghana before arriving at its decision.

Mr. Davies indicated that the presiding judge raised questions regarding certain actions taken by Ghana's Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in its pursuit of the case.

Particular attention was reportedly given to the OSP's earlier declaration of Mr Ofori-Atta as a fugitive from justice. The court was informed that the declaration occurred while he was undergoing medical treatment in the United States and during a period when his lawyers were still in communication with Ghanaian investigators.

The hearing also featured testimony from a witness with expertise in international law enforcement and INTERPOL procedures, who reportedly expressed concerns about aspects of the process used in the efforts to pursue the former minister.

Despite the court's ruling on his immigration status, Mr Ofori-Atta remains the subject of ongoing criminal proceedings and investigations in Ghana linked to decisions taken during his tenure as Finance Minister.

Legal analysts note that while the US court's decision does not alter or override the criminal cases before Ghanaian courts, it could have implications for future attempts by Ghanaian authorities to seek his return to the country.

The substantive criminal matters remain within the jurisdiction of Ghana's judicial system and are expected to proceed independently of developments in the United States.

Mr Ofori-Atta is facing allegations relating to financial misconduct, including claims connected to a contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited, which investigators allege resulted in significant financial losses to the state.

He is also being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which in June 2025 initiated efforts to secure an INTERPOL Red Notice after he allegedly failed to honour several invitations for questioning. The notice was subsequently removed by INTERPOL.

Neither the Office of the Special Prosecutor nor other state agencies in Ghana had publicly commented on the latest US court ruling at the time of reporting.