Kufuor grants amnesty to 1,317 prisoners

Accra, March 4, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has granted amnesty to 1,317 prisoners on humanitarian grounds to commemorate the 48th anniversary of Independence, a statement signed by the Minister of The Interior, Papa Owusu-Ankomah on Friday said.

It said the President grated the amnesty on the recommendation of the Prisons Council and in consultation with the Council of State. The amnesty covers four categories of prisoners comprising 1,284 first offenders who have served half or more of their sentences; 21 prisoners, who are seriously ill and incapacitated and would pose no threat to society; 10 aged prisoners, who are over 60 years of age and weak and would not constitute any threat to society and two nursing mothers.

In a separate development on Thursday, President Kufuor remitted the remainder of the sentenced imposed on Mr Kwame Peprah, Former Minister of Finance and Mr Victor Selormey, Former Deputy Minister of Finance.

Mr Peprah was jailed for wilfully causing financial loss to the State in a case involving the Quality Grain Project at Aveyime while Mr Selormey was jailed for his role in the court computerisation project.