Ato Essien, the former CEO of the now-defunct Capital Bank, is among the numerous prisoners who have received presidential pardons from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
A letter dated December 31, 2024, conveyed this.
Following his role in the demise of Capital Bank, one of the banks accused in Ghana's financial sector cleanup from 2017 to 2019, Ato Essien was convicted.
He was convicted of financial offenses, such as misappropriating cash and stealing GH¢620 million in liquidity support that Capital Bank received from the Bank of Ghana.
After not fully adhering to the conditions of an agreement he made with the state, he was given a 15-year prison sentence in October 2023.
In order to avoid going to jail, he had to pay back GH¢90 million as part of a reparations agreement.
According to new information, Ato Essien has had numerous surgeries as a result of serious, perhaps fatal medical issues.
The president also granted clemency to Philip Assibit, who was also found guilty of financial crimes, in addition to Ato Essien. Assibit had been incarcerated for 12 years for intentionally causing the state to suffer financial losses.
Regarding a fraudulent transaction involving a $4 million loan intended for the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), he was found guilty.
He was convicted of creating false paperwork to support the payment, which cost the state a substantial amount of money.
The following is a list of the other nine pardoned prisoners along with the crimes they committed:
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.
8. Kwame Twum Ampofo—He was convicted of possession of narcotics and sentenced to a prison term of 10 years in April 2024. He is currently serving his prison term in Nsawam Prison.
9. Alexander Andrew Nii Lante Lawson—He was convicted of stealing and sentenced to a prison term of 5 years with hard labour and ordered to refund an amount of GH¢532,193.26 on 5th November, 2021. He has served 3 years in prison. His health has deteriorated significantly while he has been in prison, and he is dependent on medication.
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