Ghanaian lawyer raises concerns over Abu Trica's extradition to the US
via GhanaWeb3 min read
Legal practitioner Amanda Akuokor Clinton has expressed serious concerns regarding the extradition of Ghanaian socialite Abu Trica to the United States, warning that Ghana risks becoming a 'rubber stamp' for foreign prosecutions if constitutional discipline is not maintained. In a Facebook post following Abu Trica's extradition on July 9, 2026, Clinton clarified that her concerns were not to defend fraud, but to question the fairness and lawfulness of the process. She highlighted the speed of the extradition, noting that if the process began around July 2 and the law allowed a 12-day window for legal action, the swift surrender requires explanation. Clinton also cited reports that Abu Trica's lawyer was informed by Bureau of National Investigations officials to return the next morning on July 8, only to discover his client had been flown out by dawn on July 9. She emphasized the importance of habeas corpus protections, stating that once a person is extradited, Ghanaian courts can no longer offer meaningful protection. Clinton posed questions to the State regarding whether any pending stay application was heard, if his lawyer had proper access, and if the ministerial surrender warrant was properly issued. She also raised a sovereignty argument, cautioning against extradition becoming a tool for political bargaining, and called for Ghana to develop a modern extradition framework suitable for contemporary cybercrime, rather than relying on an outdated Ghana-US framework.
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