A 27-year-old Ghanaian man, Frederick Kumi—popularly known as “Abu Trica”—has filed a lawsuit against the Government of Ghana and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the Human Rights Division of the High Court. He accuses both state and foreign security officers of torture, unlawful detention, and violations of his constitutional rights.
Kumi is demanding GHC10 million in compensation, with his lawyers arguing that his arrest and detention amounted to “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.” The suit lists the Minister for the Interior, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the FBI, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Attorney-General as respondents. According to court filings, Kumi was arrested on 11 December 2025 when more than 15 armed officers allegedly stormed his apartment in Accra’s Airport Residential Area while he was with friends. He claims he was immediately handcuffed and kept restrained from morning until late evening without access to food, water, or rest.
The most serious claims in the suit center on the role of foreign agents. Kumi alleges that while in the custody of Ghanaian authorities, three men introduced as FBI officers interrogated him without legal representation and compelled him to sign documents he could not read due to limited literacy. He further contends that the agents threatened to implicate him in fraudulent transactions amounting to $8 million unless he surrendered passwords to his mobile phones.
His lawyers argue that allowing foreign officers to question him without counsel breached Articles 14 and 19 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which safeguard personal liberty and fair trial rights. “The decision and conduct of officers… in permitting agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to interrogate the Applicant without access to counsel was unlawful,” the motion asserts.
Kumi further alleges that while he remained in custody, officers from NACOC and EOCO carried out searches at his residence in Swedru, known as “Abu Trica’s Mansion,” without authorisation or his presence. He claims security officers seized multiple vehicles — including a Lamborghini, a Mercedes and a Tesla Cybertruck — as well as electronic devices such as iPhones, laptops, a PlayStation 5 console and a Starlink modem. Jewellery and luxury watches were also allegedly taken.
The applicant contends that officers failed to provide an inventory or receipts for the confiscated items and that some of the property belonged to friends. He also accuses EOCO of prejudicing his right to a fair trial by labelling him a “notorious cyber-criminal” in a public statement before any court determination of guilt.
In addition to monetary damages, Kumi is asking the court to exclude any evidence obtained during what he calls coercive interrogations and unlawful searches. He is also seeking an interlocutory injunction to prevent his extradition or deportation pending the case and an order restraining the FBI from exercising investigative or interrogation powers over him within Ghana.
The case, expected to be heard in February 2026, could test the limits of foreign law enforcement activity in Ghana and clarify the scope of constitutional protections for suspects in cross-border cybercrime investigations.
Source: Winifred Lartey