Colonial extradition law doesn’t apply in Abu Trica case – Baker-Vormawor

Private legal practitioner, Oliver Baker-Vormawor, has said that the colonial-era extradition law does not apply in the ongoing case involving Abu Trica, stressing that the final decision rests with the courts.

In a Facebook post on April 3, 2026, Baker-Vormawor said his team is preparing a 3,500-page application.

“This is the most comprehensive research our team has ever done, covering the period from 1899 to 2026,” he noted.

Barker-Vormawor criticises Abu Trica's 'one-sided' US-Ghana extradition treaty

He stressed that lawyers cannot promise specific outcomes to clients, explaining that doing so would violate professional ethics.

“If our Courts want to save Abu Trica, they will have all the law and centuries of consistent practice before them to do so. If they decide otherwise, God knows we can’t do more than we have done in this matter,” he indicated.

He highlighted the role of judges in such cases, saying: “We are lawyers. Judges hold in their hands the fate of man.”

Background

Abu Trica was first arrested by Ghanaian security authorities on Thursday, December 11, 2025, following an indictment by U.S. authorities over his alleged role in a large-scale online romance scam valued at more than $8 million.

Unsealed documents from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio allege that Abu Trica was part of a criminal network that targeted elderly victims across the United States beginning in 2023.

Prosecutors claim the group used artificial intelligence software to create fake identities and cultivate intimate online relationships with senior citizens through social media and dating platforms.

Investigators say the victims were later manipulated into sending money and valuables under false pretenses, including claims of medical emergencies, travel expenses, and investment opportunities.

The indictment further alleges that Abu Trica helped distribute funds transferred from Ohio to co-conspirators in Ghana and other locations.

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