Akufo-Addo Grants Pardons to Ato Essien and Other Convicts
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has granted clemency to several convicts, including Ato Essien, the former CEO of the now-defunct Capital Bank, as part of an end-of-year clemency initiative. The decision, communicated in a letter dated December 31, 2024, reflects a gesture of leniency and reconciliation.
Ato Essien was serving a 15-year sentence for financial crimes linked to the mismanagement of GH¢620 million in Bank of Ghana liquidity support. His release follows reports of severe medical conditions and multiple surgeries. Another prominent beneficiary, Philip Assibit, had been serving a 12-year sentence for causing financial loss to the state through a fraudulent $4 million GYEEDA loan transaction.
The clemency initiative also included nine other individuals, each serving sentences for crimes ranging from murder and narcotics possession to human trafficking. Among them are Akwasi Alhassan, whose death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and Beatrice Ofori, a 64-year-old hypertensive inmate convicted of human trafficking. Others like Frank Obeng and Stephen Nyarko received sentence reductions after serving significant portions of their prison terms.
President Akufo-Addo’s decision underscores a compassionate approach to justice, addressing humanitarian concerns such as health challenges and long-serving inmates. The move aims to balance accountability with leniency, ensuring a second chance for those deserving of clemency.
The initiative concludes Akufo-Addo’s presidency with a message of reconciliation and mercy, leaving a lasting mark on Ghana’s justice system and its approach to rehabilitation.