Akufo-Addo denies pardoning Ato Essien, 10 others

The Office of the President has strongly refuted reports circulating in the media that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has granted a presidential pardon to 11 individuals.

In a statement issued on January 6, 2025, Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communications, clarified that the reports were inaccurate. The statement emphasized that President Akufo-Addo had not exercised his prerogative of mercy to pardon the individuals in question, as suggested by some media outlets.

Earlier reports had claimed that the President had pardoned individuals including William Ato Essien, who was convicted for his involvement in the collapse of Capital Bank. Essien, sentenced to 15 years in prison after defaulting on a GHS90 million fine, suffers from serious health conditions.

Other individuals allegedly included Philip Akpeena Assibit, convicted in 2018 for financial loss to the State, and Akwasi Alhassan, a convicted murderer who had been serving a life sentence after a 1993 conviction.

The Office of the President reiterated that these claims were unfounded, further clarifying that the President has not granted any pardons to these individuals or any others as claimed.

“We wish to categorically state that these assertions are inaccurate, and no pardon has been granted by President Akufo-Addo,” the statement read.

The Office of the President has urged the public to disregard any contrary information and to rely solely on official communications from the President’s office.