President John Dramani Mahama has granted amnesty to 998 prisoners across the country, following recommendations by the Prisons Service Council and consultations with the Council of State.
The decision, announced on Monday, August 18, 2025, is in line with Article 72(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which empowers the President to exercise the prerogative of mercy.
According to the Presidency, the amnesty covers first-time offenders, inmates serving death sentences, those on life imprisonment, the elderly, seriously ill prisoners, and nursing mothers. Out of 1,014 cases reviewed by the Prisons Service Council, 998 were approved by the President.
The breakdown includes 787 first-time offenders and 87 convicts whose death sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment. In addition, 51 life sentences have been reduced to fixed 20-year terms. Thirty-three prisoners identified as seriously ill were also granted release, while others included persons over 70 years of age, nursing mothers, and inmates whose petitions were deemed meritorious.
Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who signed the statement, said the move reflects the President’s commitment to justice tempered with compassion, while also easing congestion in Ghana’s prisons.
The release follows sustained advocacy from human rights groups and prison reform campaigners, who have highlighted the strain on correctional facilities.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu added that the exercise was carefully vetted to ensure that public safety remains paramount.
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