Agradaa, Ato Essien not part of 998 prisoners granted presidential pardon - Felix

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.