Extradition Bid Against Russian Over Leaked Intimate Videos ‘Will Fail’ – Patrick Boamah
Okaikwei Central MP Patrick Yaw Boamah says legal gaps and absence of treaty with Russia undermine Samuel Nartey George’s extradition push over leaked intimate videos case.
- Extradition attempt described as unrealistic
- No extradition treaty with Russia
- Legal framework needs strengthening
The Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has described efforts to extradite a Russian national accused of secretly recording and distributing intimate videos of Ghanaian women as a “lost cause.”
He criticised attempts by the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, to pursue extradition, arguing that the minister lacks the legal authority to initiate such a process.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, February 16, Mr Boamah who also serves on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee stressed that Ghana currently has no extradition treaty with Russia, making any attempt to bring the suspect to Ghana legally difficult.
Legal and procedural hurdles
According to the lawmaker, the absence of a formal extradition agreement between Ghana and Russia significantly weakens the possibility of a successful request.
He also pointed out that the Attorney General has not filed any formal extradition application, adding that without such a move, no court is likely to grant the request.
Boamah further noted that Russia is not a signatory to the Budapest Convention on cybercrime, which criminalises offences such as the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. This, he said, presents another major obstacle to prosecution.
Need for stronger legal framework
The MP indicated that amendments to Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act must first be properly laid before Parliament and passed to strengthen the legal framework needed to pursue such cases internationally.
He added that uncertainties surrounding the identity and status of complainants could also complicate any future prosecution.
“The Attorney General hasn’t made any application for extradition, which I think no court will grant, with the greatest of respect, because we don’t have that treaty with the Russians,” he stated.
