President John Dramani Mahama has pardoned a total of 896 prisoners, Monday.
A statement from the Flagstaff and copied Myjoyonline said: “President John Dramani Mahama has, in commemoration of the 56th Republican Anniversary of the Republic of Ghana, granted amnesty to a total of eight hundred and ninety-six (896) prisoners.
The President’s gesture is in fulfillment of the 1992 Constitution Article 72 (1)(a-d) which enjoins the President of the Republic, acting in consultation with the Council of State, to exercise the Prerogative of Mercy or just grant amnesty to convicted people.
The constitutional provision is a special gesture which gives the president the power to free people convicted of various crimes on humanitarian grounds or for reconciliatory purposes.
The pardoned prisoners are in the following categories:
First Offenders – 813
Seriously ill – 16
Aged 70 years and above – 63
Special Case (Double Amputee) – 1
Death row commuted to Life Imprisonment – 3
Joynews’ Seth Kwame Boateng filmed a documentary titled ‘Left-to-Rot’ in which he captured the horrowing conditions inmates in Ghana live in.
It came to light that prison officials are part to be blamed for the maltreatment of the prisoners. This compelled the government to meet top prisoner officials to caution them.
Source: myjoyonline.com