Abu Trica Takes Legal Action Against Ghana Government and FBI Over Arrest and Detention

Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, has filed a landmark lawsuit against the Ghanaian government and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), alleging unlawful arrest, torture, and violations of his constitutional rights. The 27-year-old, who was arrested in December 2025 for alleged cyber fraud, is seeking GH₵10 million in compensation, claiming a coordinated campaign of “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” during his detention.

The lawsuit, filed at the Human Rights Division of the High Court in Accra, names the Minister for Interior, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Attorney-General, and the FBI as respondents. Abu Trica alleges that more than 15 armed officers stormed his apartment in the Airport Residential Area, handcuffed him, and denied him food, water, or rest for hours while he was interrogated by three foreign nationals introduced as FBI agents.

According to court documents, he was coerced into signing documents he could not read and threatened with links to fraudulent transactions worth $8 million unless he disclosed his phone passwords. Abu Trica also claims that while in custody, NACOC and EOCO officers conducted unauthorized raids on his Swedru residence, seizing luxury vehicles—including a Lamborghini, a Mercedes, and a Cybertruck—electronics such as MacBooks, iPhones, and gaming consoles, as well as jewellery and personal effects, some of which belonged to his friends.

The lawsuit accuses EOCO of prematurely labeling him a “notorious cyber-criminal,” violating the presumption of innocence. Abu Trica is requesting the court to exclude evidence obtained through coercion, prevent any extradition or deportation until the case is resolved, and bar the FBI and its agents from conducting investigations or interrogations on Ghanaian soil.

The case, expected to be heard in February 2026, could set a major legal precedent on the limits of foreign law enforcement operations in Ghana and the protection of citizens during cyber-crime investigations.