The Government of Ghana has approved the engagement of US civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to assist in securing justice for Ghanaians killed in the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that approval was granted to Ghana's Permanent Mission in New York to engage Mr. Crump's services at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer. This move comes amid growing concern over a series of violent deaths of Ghanaians in different parts of the US.
Five Ghanaians have died under different circumstances in the US since Ghana's Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, assumed office. Most of the cases involve guns. The victims include Akpene Diamond Tetteh, 37, who was shot dead in Savannah, Georgia, on February 12, 2026. One suspect was arrested and arraigned, while the second suspect remains at large.
Other victims include Dr. Kofi Akamani, 48, a professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, who was killed on September 19, 2026. Javits Badu-Nkansah Frimpong, 15, was fatally shot in the Bronx, New York, on October 29, 2026, while walking to school. Joseph Owusu, 24, was found dead in a large black duffel bag in Canarsie, Brooklyn, on October 30, 2026.
The government facilitated an expedited US visa for Javits' mother, Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi, to travel to New York. Ghana's Permanent Mission in New York has also visited the families to offer support. Ambassador Smith has expressed the government's unhappiness about the killings, stating that while Ghana cannot accuse the US government of failing to act, it has a right to protest on behalf of its citizens.
Mr. Crump is widely known for representing families in high-profile cases involving racial injustice, police brutality, and wrongful death in the US. He had already been retained by Frimpong's family and had joined a march in the Bronx demanding justice. The Ministry has not yet provided details of the specific legal steps Mr. Crump will take or the exact cases he will handle.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had a positive telephone discussion with Mr. Crump on the matter and expressed gratitude to him for his willingness to assist. The Ministry acknowledged the cooperation and commitment of US authorities in the collective quest for justice.
The engagement of Mr. Crump is part of Ghana's efforts to secure justice and safeguard the dignity of its nationals abroad. The Ministry stated that Ghana will go every length to achieve this goal.
Key points
- The government of Ghana has engaged US civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to seek justice for Ghanaians killed in the US.
- Five Ghanaians have died in the US under different circumstances since Ambassador Victor Smith assumed office.
- The engagement of Mr. Crump is at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
