Abu Trica
A High Court in Accra has affirmed the extradition of Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, to the United States over alleged conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering targeting elderly victims, involving an estimated $8 million.
The decision followed the court’s dismissal of an application filed by his lawyers challenging the earlier ruling of the Gbese District Court, which had granted a request by the Attorney General to extradite him to the US to face the alleged offences.
His lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, confirmed the development on Facebook, describing it as a fast-tracked process and indicating that the matter would be taken to the Supreme Court on appeal.
“I am out of Ghana for work. I just heard that the case of Abu Trica has been fast tracked and a judge has just ordered his extradition. Hmmm. FBI 1 – Abu 1. I guess this issue goes to the Supreme Court,” the lawyer wrote.
The legal team subsequently filed an application seeking to halt the extradition pending the determination of an appeal against the order.
The application seeks, among other reliefs, an order directing that no further steps be taken by the Attorney General, the Minister for the Interior, the Ghana Police Service (INTERPOL), or any other agency “to surrender, extradite, remove, transfer or otherwise deliver” Abu Trica into the custody of the authorities of the United States pending the final determination of his challenge against the extradition.
The lawyers have also filed a notice of appeal challenging the High Court’s decision.
The court had earlier granted Abu Trica bail in the sum of GH¢30 million with two sureties, both to be justified with landed property.
The decision came as a much-needed relief for Kumi, who had been in custody since his arrest in December 2025 through a joint operation involving Ghanaian law enforcement agencies and their US counterparts.
His previous attempts to secure bail while the extradition proceedings were pending had failed, as multiple High Courts dismissed applications filed by different lawyers.
Information available indicates that Abu Trica was rearrested by security officers after the High Court dismissed his challenge against the initial extradition order.
The Gbese District Court in Accra, on March 27, cleared the way for Abu Trica’s extradition to the United States to stand trial for allegedly defrauding elderly men and women.
The ruling followed the court’s rejection of claims by his lawyers that the extradition was politically motivated. They had argued that conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering are not extraditable offences under the 1931 extradition treaty between Ghana and the United States.
“Money laundering and conspiracy, though not specifically mentioned in the 1931 treaty, have been catered for under the relevant United Nations Convention. The preliminary legal objection is therefore overruled,” the court, presided over by Her Honour Anna Akosua Appiah Gottfried Anaafi Gyasi, ruled.
The court subsequently gave him 15 days within which to challenge the decision permitting the extradition.
The ruling was delivered while legal actions initiated by Abu Trica’s lawyers remained pending before the High Court, challenging the extradition as well as alleging violations of his human rights by state security agencies and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Abu Trica alleges that his prolonged detention by officers of Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Attorney General’s Department from the morning until late evening following his arrest on December 11, 2025, during which he was continuously restrained in handcuffs, deprived of food, water, rest and other basic necessities, and subjected to physical and psychological distress, amounted to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment contrary to Article 15 of the 1992 Constitution, and was therefore unlawful and unconstitutional.
By Gibril Abdul Razak