President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Some 808 prisoners have been granted presidential amnesty by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in accordance with Article 72 (1) of the Constitution.
This follows a recommendation from the Prisons Council Service, in consultation with the Council of State. The move is to contain the spread of coronavirus in the nation’s prisons.
According to a statement signed by Patrick Darko Missah, Director-General of Prisons, the beneficiary prisoners include 783 first offenders, 11 seriously ill persons, seven inmates on death row to be commuted to life imprisonment, four inmates serving life sentence to have sentence commuted to 20 years definite term and three very old prisoners(70 years and above).
“The first offenders, totaling 783, who have served half of their sentence, 11 seriously ill prisoners and 3 aged (very old) prisoners are to be released outright. However, 7 prisoners on death row would have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, while four serving life sentences will be commuted to 20-year definite term,” the statement indicated.
