Akufo-Addo grants amnesty to 808 prisoners amid coronavirus crisis

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has granted amnesty to eight hundred and eight prisoners in the country.

The decision was arrived upon after a recommendation by the Prisons Service Council and in consultation with the Council of State

The amnesty is in accordance with Article 72 (1) of the Constitution.

This was contained in a statement signed by Patrick Darko Missah, Director-General of Prisons copied to GhanaWeb, today March 26, 2020.

According to the statement, amnesty has been granted to prisoners in 5 categories.

The first group of prisoners are 783 first offenders, followed by 11 seriously ill prisoners.

It added that 7 inmates on death row will be commuted to life imprisonment, whiles 4 inmates serving a life sentence will have the sentence commuted to 20 years definite term.

Last on the category are 3 very old prisoners who are 70 years.

Read the statement below: