President John Dramani Mahama has been petitioned to grant a pardon to William Ato Essien, the entrepreneur and founder of defunct Capital Bank. The petition, submitted by Andrew Appiah-Danquah, a lawyer, raises concerns about the fairness and integrity of Essien’s conviction and subsequent imprisonment.
Essien was sentenced to 15 years in prison by an Accra High Court after being found guilty of stealing over GH¢90 million in liquidity support provided by the Bank of Ghana to the then Capital Bank. Initially, he was given an opportunity to avoid a custodial sentence by agreeing to repay the GH¢90 million as restitution to the state.
However, it’s worth noting that Essien had already been granted a presidential pardon by outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo, along with 10 other convicted individuals