The Government of Ghana has approved the engagement of renowned American civil rights attorney Ben Crump to help pursue justice for Ghanaian nationals who have lost their lives in separate incidents across the United States.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed the development in a Facebook post, indicating that Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York had secured approval to engage the lawyer’s services without any financial cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
The decision forms part of the government’s broader efforts to seek accountability in the deaths of Ghanaian citizens in the US and ensure that the families of the victims receive justice.
Ablakwa stressed that the government would pursue every available avenue to address the cases and protect the rights and dignity of Ghanaians living abroad.
“Ghana will go every length to secure justice and safeguard the dignity of our dear nationals abroad,” he stated.
The move follows a series of reported killings involving Ghanaian nationals in different parts of the United States, some of which have raised serious concerns among the Ghanaian community.
One of the cases involves 15-year-old Javits Badu-Nkansah Frimpong, who was fatally shot in the Bronx, New York, on October 29, 2026, reportedly while on his way to school.
Following the incident, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, called for a comprehensive and impartial investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death.
In another case, 24-year-old Joseph Owusu was found dead inside a large duffel bag abandoned on a pavement in Canarsie, Brooklyn, on October 30, 2026.
Owusu, a resident of the Bronx, had reportedly been missing for approximately two weeks before his body was found by an individual searching for scrap metal.
Surveillance footage subsequently emerged showing two unidentified individuals removing a large black bag from the boot of a white sedan and abandoning it on the pavement before driving away.
The circumstances surrounding his death have raised concerns, with questions remaining about the identities of the individuals captured in the footage and their possible involvement.
A further case involved 37-year-old Akpene Diamond Tetteh, a Ghanaian doctoral graduate who was shot dead in Savannah, Georgia, on February 12, 2026, just weeks after completing her PhD studies.
The engagement of Crump is expected to support Ghana’s efforts to pursue accountability in these cases and ensure that the circumstances surrounding the deaths of its citizens receive the necessary legal attention.
The government has reiterated its commitment to standing with affected families and ensuring that the rights and dignity of Ghanaians abroad are protected.
