Nana Akufo-Addo, the outgoing president, has issued a presidential pardon to William Ato Essien and ten other convicted criminals.
Mr. Ato Essien, the founder of the defunct Capital Bank, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Accra High Court in October 2023.
He was convicted of embezzling about GH¢90 million of the Bank of Ghana’s liquidity support for the now-defunct financial company.
This decision stems from his refusal to properly refund the indicated amount to the state, despite having pledged to do so and been given the opportunity.
Mr Essien, who has spent one year of his 15-year sentence, is alleged to have “severe life-threatening medical conditions” and has undergone many surgeries as a result.
In addition to Mr Essien, the president has released eight other condemned men, including Philip Assibit, a GYEEDA scandal convict sentenced to 12 years.
The list of pardoned convicts is provided below.
