Even military Heads of State had ever granted such a pardon of clemency in Ghana.
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6 Ghanaians who were granted Presidential pardon for 'crimes' committed
Article 48 of the 1960 Constitution, Article 50 of the 1969 Constitution, and Article 59 of the 1979 Constitution made provisions for the President to grant amnesty to prisoners under specified conditions.
Nana Addo and John Mahama
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Currently, Article 72 of 1992 of the Fourth Republic Constitution of Ghana provides that in consultation with the Council of State, the President may pardon a convicted person.
Successive presidents over the years have exercised power to show compassion to former Ministers and government officials jailed and granted a presidential pardon.
The sentences of all on death roll have been commuted to life imprisonment while those on death roll, who have served more than 10 years, have had their sentences reduced to 20 years.
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Pulse.com.gh takes a look at 6 former appointees who were granted a presidential pardon.
Tsatsu Tsikata
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor pardoned imprisoned former Ghana National Petroleum boss, Tsatsu Tsikata.
A day before Kufuor handed over power to the late president-elect John Evans Atta Mills in 2008, the President said Tsikata is pardoned unconditionally.
Tsikata was sentenced to a five-year jail term for 'wilfully causing financial loss to the state' on June 18, 2008, after a trial that went on for about five years.
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A statement prison officers keeping guard over Tsikata at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital in Accra where he has been on admission.
The statement said you have been granted, "free, absolute and unconditional pardon".
Tsatsu Tsikata
Pulse Ghana
Mallam Yussif Ali Issah
Former Sports Minister Mallam Ali Yusif Issah has also received a four-year jail term in 2001 for failing to account for $46,000 meant as a winning bonus for the senior national soccer team, the Black Stars, who were then on a national assignment in Sudan.
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He was, however, granted a presidential pardon in July 2003 due to poor health.
In 2016. he accused then flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and now-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of deliberately sacrificing him after he misplaced some monies meant for the state.
According to Mallam Issa, Nana Addo who was the former Attorney-General wanted him out of the Kufuor government to appease other NPP loyalists, hence his decision to prosecute him against all odds.
Mallam Yussif Ali Issah
Pulse Ghana
Kwame Peprah
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An Accra High Court sentenced former Finance Minister, Kwame Peprah to 4 years in prison in 2003 for his role in the Quality Grain scandal.
He was charged with conspiracy and causing financial loss of 20 million dollars to the state in a rice project at Aveyime in the Volta Region.
He was granted a Presidential pardon on a health condition.
Dan Abodakpi
In 2007, former Member of Parliament for Keta, Dan Abodakpi, was jailed for 10 years.
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He was sentenced on three counts of conspiracy, two counts of defrauding, and two counts of wilfully causing financial loss of $400,000 to the State.
He was also pardoned by firmer President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Dan Abodakpi
Pulse Ghana
Adamu Dramani Sakande pardoned
The jailed NPP MP for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande was granted a presidential pardon by John Mahama.
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Adamu Sakende was sentenced to two years imprisonment after he was found guilty of false declaration of office, perjury, and deceiving a public officer.
The Bawku MP was sentenced on three counts of perjury, false declaration, and deceit of a public officer.
He contested the Bawku seat even though he had not conclusively denounced his UK Citizenship.
Sakende was sick and on admission at the Korle Bu, Cardiothoracic Centre since his conviction and later died.
Adamu Dramani Sakande
Pulse Ghana
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Abuga Pele
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has granted a presidential pardon to the former National Coordinator of the defunct Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), Abuga Pele.
He was hospitalised after being taken ill in a critical condition at the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the hospital.
Abuga Pele and Chief Executive of Goodwill International Group (GIG), Philip Akpeena Assibit were indicted in alleged fraudulent activities at GYEEDA.
Abuga Pele and a private service provider, Philip Assibit, were found guilty of 19 counts including dishonestly causing financial loss to the state.
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The Court was satisfied that the prosecution had proved 13 of the 19 counts Abuga Pele faced ranging from aiding and abetting crime to willfully causing financial loss to the state.
Abuga Pele
Pulse Ghana
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