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Four Ghanaian nationals—Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare—are facing extradition to the United States over their alleged roles in various crimes, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and romance scams.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, suspects like Isaac Oduro Boateng, also known as “Dada Joe Remix,” engaged in a romance/inheritance scheme that targeted elderly American victims and others around the world.
Since news broke about the suspects’ extradition processes, there has been public commentary on the matter. Some sections of the public have expressed concern about how cyber crimes, such as those in which the suspects are alleged to be involved, tarnish Ghana’s global reputation.
Popular media personality Kwesi Ernest added his voice to the discussion, questioning the legitimacy of the extradition process.
Speaking on Entertainment Review on Accra-based Peace FM, the entertainment pundit asserted that Ghana’s economic dependence on foreign countries makes it possible for Ghanaian nationals to be extradited to countries like the United States. According to him, extradition processes undermine Ghana’s sovereignty.
In a clip that has been shared on various social media platforms and has garnered over two hundred thousand views, Kwesi Ernest can be heard saying:
“Our leaders have been borrowing from foreign countries to buy V8 vehicles to drive on bad roads. Is it not disgraceful to borrow from the US and drive on our bad roads? We have sold our land to foreigners. How is it that they can arrive in our country to arrest our citizens for duping foreigners? If anyone has committed a crime, don’t we have our own courts here to deal with such issues? Where is our sovereignty in all these?”
In this article, we explain the extradition process and answer whether Ghana’s cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies undermines its sovereignty.
What is Extradition?
Extradition is a formal process through which one country hands over an individual to another country where the person is accused or convicted of committing a crime. According to the Cornell Law Legal Dictionary, extradition procedures are typically determined by reciprocal agreements between countries or by multilateral treaties among a group of countries.
Ghana has the Extradition Act, 1960 (Act 22), which allows for the extradition of persons accused or convicted of crimes committed within the jurisdiction of other countries.
When Can a Ghanaian Be Extradited?
Section 22 of the Extradition Act, 1960, spells out the extradition procedure.
“A requisition for the endorsement of a warrant under this Part shall be made in the first instance by a diplomatic representative, consular officer or other appropriate authority of the country concerned to the Minister, who may transmit it to a District Magistrate to proceed in accordance with this Part.”
This provision in the Act is what the Minister of the Interior adhered to in his March 15, 2025, letter to the Magistrate of the District Court, Accra, regarding suspects Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare.
A copy of the letter signed by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak
Does This Undermine Ghana’s Sovereignty?
No, it doesn’t. On the contrary, extradition reflects Ghana’s commitment to international cooperation and the rule of law. This is not a sign of submission to foreign powers but rather an indication that Ghana is playing its part in tackling global crime.
It is also worth noting that U.S. police do not arrest the suspects on Ghanaian soil. Instead, they are detained by Ghanaian law enforcement based on a formal request and evidence provided by the U.S. government.
Is this the first time?
Several instances in the past have involved Ghanaian nationals being extradited for their alleged involvement in crime. Some of these instances include the extradition of Maxwell Peter, a.k.a. Maxwell Atugba Abayeta, to the United States (2017), Deborah Mensah to the United States (2020), and Stephen Agordotse to Nigeria (2025).
Conclusion
While Kwesi Ernest’s concerns about Ghana’s economic dependence may be valid, the country’s cooperation with US authorities regarding extraditing nationals to face charges for alleged crimes does not undermine the country’s sovereignty.
