Following last week's announcement by celebrated US civil rights lawyer, Ben Crump that he has been retained by the family of Javits Frimpong, the 15-year-old Ghanaian boy who was killed while walking to school, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said he has spoken to Crump to extend his services to all other Ghanaians killed in the US in recent months.
"We have been retained to represent the family of Javits Frimpong. Javits was a 15-year-old boy walking to school, something children across this country do every morning. He came here from Ghana a year ago dreaming of becoming a doctor, and he deserved to make that walk safely. We will stand with Javits’ family every step of the way until the people responsible are held accountable and his family has the answers they deserve," Ben Crump wrote on Facebook in the announcement concerning his engagement.
Following that, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in an announcement on Tuesday, November 10, 2026 said he has spoken to Ben Crump about extending his services to other Ghanaians.
Consequently, the minister said approval has been granted to Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York to engage the services of the celebrated US civil rights lawyer.
This, according to Mr Ablakwa will come at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpaper, to assist Ghana in securing justice for all Ghanaians killed in the US in recent months.
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, “Ghana will go every length to secure justice and safeguard the dignity of our dear nationals abroad.”
“We equally acknowledge the cooperation and commitment of US authorities in our collective quest for justice.
The move follows growing concerns over several deaths involving Ghanaian nationals in different parts of the country.
Among the cases that have raised concern is the killing of 15-year-old Ghanaian, Javits Badu-Nkansah Frimpong, who was shot dead in the Bronx, New York, on October 29, 2026, while walking to school.
In another case, the body of 24-year-old Ghanaian, Joseph Owusu, was found inside a body bag in Canarsie, Brooklyn, on October 30, 2026, after he had reportedly been missing for about two weeks.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death were ongoing, with authorities yet to establish a confirmed cause of death, according to available reports.
Other reported cases include the shooting to death of 37-year-old Akpene Diamond Tetteh in Savannah, Georgia, in February 2026, and the death of Dr Kofi Akamani in Murphysboro, Illinois, in September 2026.
Ghana's Ambassador to the United States, Mr Victor Smith, has separately disclosed that five Ghanaians had died under different circumstances since he assumed office, with firearms reportedly involved in most of the cases.
Who is Ben Crump
Ben Crump is known for representing victims and families in high-profile cases in the US involving civil rights violations, police misconduct and wrongful deaths.
He has also been associated with the campaign for justice following the killing of Javits Frimpong.
