Tsatsu is innocent; Conviction & 5-year jail term quashed

Tsatsu Tsikata, a former chief executive officer at the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has won an appeal against the state over his incarceration in June 2008.

The former GNPC CEO was found guilty of willfully causing financial loss of GH¢230,000 to the state through a loan that the GNPC guaranteed for Valley Farms, a private cocoa-growing company.

He was handed a five-year sentence in June 2008. Many suspected that his imprisonment was politically motivated. Therefore when Mr Tsikata was unconditionally pardoned by former President J.A. Kufuor on his last day in office in 2008, he rejected the pardon, describing it as “the height of hypocrisy”.

In a two-page hand-written note to the ex-President, dated January 6, 2009, Tsatsu wrote, “I have never sought, and I do not need your pretence of mercy.

Justice is my quest and I will pursue this quest in accordance with the constitution and laws of Ghana.”

Mr Tsatsu Tsikata finally filed a suit at the Court of Appeal, challenging the five-year sentencing in 2008.

Mr Tsikata said in his suit that the verdict that led to his imprisonment was unreasonable and was not supported by evidence.

On Wednesday, 30th November 2016 the Appeals Court presided over by Justice Dennis Adjei quashed the Fast Track High Court judgment in 2008.

3FM’s Joab Brown who was in court said the court absorbed Mr. Tsikata of all the crimes that were placed on him.