The presidency has announced that President John Dramani Mahama has granted amnesty to 998 inmates across Ghana’s prisons, in what officials describe as a major humanitarian intervention aimed at easing congestion in correctional facilities.
The announcement, made on Monday, August 18, 2025, confirmed that two inmates who had directly petitioned the presidency for clemency were among those pardoned. However, their identities were not disclosed.
According to the statement signed by Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the beneficiaries include 33 seriously ill prisoners, 36 inmates aged above 70, 87 death row convicts whose sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment, and two nursing mothers. In addition, 51 inmates serving life terms will now serve reduced sentences of 20 years, while 787 first-time offenders are also to be released.
Humanitarian grounds, the statement said, were central to the decision. “The President approved 998 out of the 1,014 inmates recommended for amnesty by the Prisons Service Council,” it noted.
The news has fueled speculation over whether high-profile prisoners, including former Capital Bank Chief Executive William Ato Essien, would benefit from the president’s decision. Essien, who was convicted in April 2023 for misapplying Bank of Ghana liquidity support and sentenced to 15 years in prison, had earlier petitioned the presidency for a pardon on health grounds. His plea was backed by several groups who argued that other individuals involved in similar banking sector cases had been freed, making his continued incarceration unjust.
Supporters also cited his deteriorating health, with reports indicating that he had been admitted at the 37 Military Hospital and was now using a wheelchair in prison.
However, a trusted source confirmed to Graphic Online that Essien was not included in the amnesty list. “Ato Essien not part of list,” the source emphasized, clarifying that his case remains pending under medical bail while his appeal is being determined.
The same source confirmed that Patricia Asiedu Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence, was also not part of the beneficiaries. Agradaa has served less than six months of her jail term, making her ineligible.
The presidency stressed that the amnesty was not selective but guided by constitutional provisions and humanitarian considerations. The move, officials say, reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring justice is tempered with mercy, while also decongesting the country’s overcrowded prisons.
