The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has raised constitutional concerns over the extradition of Ghanaian social media influencer Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, to the United States.
Speaking on the matter, Mr. Tameklo asserted that due process ought to have been strictly adhered to by allowing all pending judicial proceedings in Ghana to be concluded before the suspect was surrendered to U.S. authorities.
Abu Trica was extradited to the United States on 9 July 2026 to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, in connection with an alleged $8 million romance scam targeting elderly Americans. U.S. prosecutors allege he used artificial intelligence to create fake online identities to defraud victims.
According to court records and reports, Abu Trica’s legal team had filed multiple applications in Ghanaian courts seeking to halt the extradition, including a motion for stay pending judicial review. His lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, disclosed that he had gone to court on the day of the extradition to stop the process, only to discover that his client had already been placed on a Delta Airlines flight to the U.S.
Mr. Barker-Vormawor subsequently accused the Ghanaian government of bypassing “judicial oversight” and argued that the extradition “raises profound constitutional questions”.
Echoing those concerns, Mr. Tameklo maintained that Ghana’s commitment to the rule of law demands that domestic courts be allowed to exhaust their jurisdiction before international obligations are executed.
“The principle of due process is sacrosanct. Where there are pending matters before our courts, the appropriate course is to allow the law to take its course domestically before any extradition is effected,” he stated.
The extradition followed a ruling by the Gbese District Court which dismissed key defence objections including claims of political persecution and entrapment. The court had granted Abu Trica’s legal team a 15-day window to appeal, and the High Court in Accra had earlier granted him GH¢30 million bail in April 2026.
The Ghanaian government has not publicly commented on the extradition at the time of publication.
Abu Trica, who amassed over 100,000 followers on Instagram for displaying a lavish lifestyle, has denied all charges. If convicted in the U.S., he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars.
The case has reignited national debate on Ghana’s extradition treaty obligations, judicial independence, and the balance between international cooperation and constitutional safeguards.
Credit: Phalonzy
