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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has exercised his prerogative of mercy to pardon eleven prisoners, in accordance with Article 72 (1) of the Constitution barely a day to end his tenure.
This decision follows a thorough review of their cases, with consideration given to their health, length of imprisonment, and other mitigating factors. Below are the details of the pardoned individuals:
Key among the list are William Ato Essien, CEO of defunct Capital Bank, and Philip Assibit who was jailed for his role in the GYEEDA scandal.
- Akwasi Alhassan
Alhassan was convicted of murder and sentenced to death on 19th March 1993. Having served 31 years in prison, his death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment per the presidential pardon. - Beatrice Ofori
Ofori was convicted of human trafficking on 6th June, 2023, and sentenced to 6 years with hard labour. At 64 years old, Ofori suffers from severe hypertension, which has impaired her ability to walk. She spends most of her time in the prison infirmary due to her worsening health condition. - William Ato Essien
Mr Essien was convicted of stealing over GH¢90 million of Bank of Ghana’s liquidity support to the now-defunct financial institution (Capital Bank). He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2023. Mr Essien has been battling life-threatening medical conditions and has undergone multiple surgeries. His deteriorating health led to his inclusion in the pardoning process. - Frank Obeng
Convicted of manslaughter, Obeng was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at Nsawam Prison. Following a review of his case, his sentence is being reduced from 40 to 12 years. - Stephen Nyarko
Nyarko was convicted of conspiracy to rob and robbery in December 2010 and sentenced to 30 years. Having served 22 years, including time spent on remand, Nyarko has now been granted a pardon. - Philip Akpeena Assibit
Assibit was sentenced to 12 years in 2018 for willfully causing financial loss to the state due to his role in the National Youth Employment Programme. He has served 6 years in prison and, citing serious ill health, has pleaded for his release, which has been granted. - Osman Inusah
Inusah was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, though he was found not guilty of armed robbery. A petition submitted on his behalf highlighted his mental health challenges, which are better managed outside of prison. The pardon will allow him to seek proper treatment at home. - Joseph Nana Kwaku Boateng
Convicted for attempted export and possession of narcotics on 28th May, 2019, Boateng was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Having served 8 years, including five years in remand, he has been pardoned. - Emmanuel Adu Mensah
Mensah was convicted of possession of narcotics and sentenced to 15 years in April 2024. He is currently serving his sentence in Nsawam Prison. - Kwame Twum Ampofo
Convicted of possession of narcotics, Ampofo was sentenced to 10 years in April 2024. He is currently serving his prison term in Nsawam Prison. - Alexander Andrew Nil Lante Lawson
Lawson was convicted of stealing and sentenced to 5 years with hard labour and ordered to refund GHS 532,193.26. He has served 3 years in prison, but his health has significantly deteriorated during his incarceration. He is now dependent on medication, which led to the decision to grant him clemency.
Considering the circumstances surrounding these cases, the President consulted the Council of State on the exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy to ensure swift action. The council’s expeditious consideration of the matter is expected to enable the President to implement the pardons accordingly.
This move demonstrates the President’s commitment to exercising mercy in exceptional cases, particularly when health or other personal factors make continued imprisonment unjust. These individuals will now be released or have their sentences reduced, with the opportunity for rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Emmanuel Mensah
