By Seli Baisie
The outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has granted a presidential pardon to William Ato Essien, founder of the defunct Capital Bank, and eight other individuals.
Mr. Essien, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison by an Accra High Court in October 2023, was found guilty of misusing over GH¢90 million of Bank of Ghana’s funds allocated to his bank. His sentence came after failing to repay the full amount, despite being given the opportunity to do so.
The pardon comes after Mr. Essien served one year of his sentence and is reportedly battling severe health issues, including life-threatening conditions that required multiple surgeries.
Among the other pardoned individuals is Philip Assibit, who was serving a 12-year sentence related to the GYEEDA scandal.
The full list of those pardoned is provided below.
1. Akwasi Alhassan – He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death on 19th March 1993. He has been in prison since then (31 years). He is now serving life imprisonment per presidential order.
2. Beatrice Ofori – She was convicted of human trafficking on 6th June 2023 for 8 years with hard labour. She is currently 64 years old and is seriously hypertensive. This has affected both legs, leading to her inability to move freely. She spends most of her time in the prison infirmary.
3. Frank Obeng – He was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 40 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence in Nsawam Prison. His sentence is proposed to be reduced from 40 to 12 years.
4. Stephen Nyarko – He was convicted of conspiracy to rob and robbery in December 2010 and sentenced to 30 years. He has served 22 years in total, including time spent in remand.
5. Osman Inusah – He was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery even though he was found not guilty of armed robbery. A petition submitted on his behalf states that he has mental health challenges, which need to be treated and managed at home.
6. Joseph Nana Kwaku Boateng – He was convicted for attempted export and possession of narcotic substances on 28th May 2019 and sentenced to 15 years. He has served 8 years in total including five spent in remand.
7. Emmanuel Adu Mensah – He was convicted of possession of narcotics and sentenced to a prison term of 15 years in April 2024. He is currently serving his prison term in Nsawam Prison.
