Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai has expressed strong opposition to arrangements that allow cybercrime suspects to be extradited exclusively to Western countries.

Speaking on the opening day of the Global Fraud Summit, Justice Sai stated that Ghana will not support any international framework on global fraud that creates a one-way system for sending suspects to the West.

“We will, however, support and be part of an arrangement which has a corresponding mechanism for quicker extradition, surrender of political corruption suspects or recovery of loots back to Africa,” he wrote on his X page after his address.

The summit, convened under the auspices of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and INTERPOL, aims to explore the establishment of a global legal framework to combat cross-border fraud.

Justice Sai’s remarks come at a time when Ghana is seeking the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from the United States over decisions taken during his tenure in office.

In addition, Ghana has received a formal request from U.S. authorities for the extradition of Frederick Kumi, popularly known as “Abu Trica”, to face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The Gbese District Court has scheduled a ruling on Wednesday, March 25, regarding a preliminary objection filed in Abu Trica’s extradition case.

Lawyers for Abu Trica, led by Oliver Barker Vormawor, have questioned the legal basis of the extradition request, arguing that the offences cited are not covered under the 1931 extradition treaty between Ghana and the United States.

According to the defence, the treaty does not explicitly include wire fraud or money laundering as extraditable crimes, and its provisions on conspiracy apply only to specific categories that do not cover the current charges.

They further insisted that Ghana cannot rely on later domestic laws to expand the scope of the treaty, stressing that any extradition must strictly adhere to the terms originally agreed upon by both countries.

Ghana has encountered a complex legal challenge in prosecuting a Russian national accused of secretly filming and distributing intimate videos of Ghanaian women, with criminologist Dr. Jones Opoku Ware highlighting the difficulties posed by the absence of an extradition treaty between the two countries.

“We are looking at a foreign citizen who entered Ghana to commit a crime. If this person leaves the country, getting them back will be a very tall order because Ghana does not have any existing extradition agreements with Russia,” Dr. Opoku Ware told Joy FM’s Top Story.

The government has launched efforts to bring the suspect to justice, using both legal and diplomatic channels to ensure prosecution under Ghana’s cybersecurity laws, according to Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation.

Dr. Opoku Ware warned that without a formal treaty, Ghana’s options are limited to diplomatic engagement, and that legal protections in Russia could complicate the process further.

“The government is exploring all possible options to ensure justice for the victims. At this point, we may have to appeal to the conscience of the Russian Republic to achieve some form of reparations or compensation,” he added.

Minister George also cautioned the public against sharing or profiting from the viral videos, stressing that such actions constitute criminal offences under Ghanaian law.

“Do not share, download, circulate, or monetise this illegal content. Doing so constitutes a criminal offence,” he emphasised at a press briefing alongside officials from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

Authorities are actively tracing and securing relevant digital and financial evidence, while also warning that Ghanaians who redistribute the content could face prosecution.

Benjamin Madugu, Director of Communication, International Cooperation, and Strategic Partnership at the Cyber Security Authority (CSA Ghana), condemned the suspect’s actions as a breach of Ghanaian cyber and privacy laws.

“It is unacceptable for a foreign national to come into our country and, for some reason, decide to record our ladies in the manner that he did. That is not acceptable, and it is condemnable. It is also an offence under the Cybersecurity Authority Act to record intimate images that both parties had agreed to capture at the time and then leak those images online,” Madugu said.

The CSA is prioritising efforts to locate the suspect, warning that even if he leaves Ghana or hides in another country, legal action will continue.

“For those who think, ‘I’m not the one who recorded the video; the video is already out, and I’m only sharing it,’ if the affected individuals decide to make an official complaint to the Cybersecurity Authority, such persons can be brought to book,” Madugu added.