Amanda Clinton questions in Abu Trica’s extradition to the US

The Head of Chambers at The Law Office of Clinton Consultancy, Amanda Clinton, has called for greater adherence to constitutional safeguards in Ghana’s extradition process following the transfer of Ghanaian national Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, to the United States to face charges of alleged wire fraud and money laundering.

While emphasising that Ghana must continue to cooperate with international efforts to combat transnational crime, Ms Clinton argued that such cooperation should never come at the expense of the due process guarantees enshrined in the country’s Constitution and extradition laws.

In an article on Saturday, July 11, titled “A Ghanaian Passport Must Mean Something”, she maintained that every Ghanaian citizen, irrespective of the allegations levelled against them, was entitled to the protection of Ghanaian courts before being surrendered to another jurisdiction.

“It must represent more than a travel document. It must signify that every Ghanaian citizen, regardless of the allegations against them, is entitled to the full protection of Ghana’s Constitution, our courts, and the rule of law before being surrendered to another jurisdiction,” she stated.

Due process concerns

Ms Clinton stressed that her concerns were not intended to defend individuals accused of serious offences such as cybercrime, organised crime or international fraud.

“This is not an argument against fighting cybercrime, organised crime or international fraud. Nor is it a defence of anyone accused of those offences. Ghana must never become a refuge for romance fraudsters, money launderers or transnational criminals. If there is a legitimate case to answer, then that case must indeed be answered,” she said.

However, she argued that due process remained a fundamental constitutional principle that should not be sacrificed in the pursuit of international cooperation.

“But there is an equally important principle that cannot be sacrificed in the pursuit of international cooperation: due process,” she added.

According to her, recent developments had raised questions about whether Ghana was preserving the integrity of its extradition system or allowing it to become “little more than an administrative conveyor belt for foreign prosecutions”.

Ms Clinton acknowledged the importance of collaboration between Ghana and the United States in tackling cybercrime and other transnational offences.

She referred to the Attorney-General’s visit to Washington on June 17, during which United States officials commended Ghana’s cooperation on extradition matters.

According to her, American officials had noted that Ghana had carried out nine extraditions within a year under the current administration, describing the achievement as “extraordinary”.

While welcoming such cooperation, she cautioned against what she described as unquestioning compliance.

“International cooperation deserves praise. Automatic compliance does not,” she stated.

She further argued that the same American officials who praised Ghana’s collaboration also emphasised the importance of the rule of law.

“That commitment cannot operate only when it benefits foreign prosecutors. It must also require unwavering respect for Ghana’s own legal processes,” she said.