Ghanaian Man Imprisoned for 24 Years After Wrongful Conviction Awarded ¢500,000 As Compensation

• The Supreme Court of Ghana ruled on June 24, 2026 in the case of Abu Shaibu v. The Republic
• Abu Shaibu was convicted of murder and conspiracy in 2001 by a High Court in Tamale and sentenced to death
• The Court of Appeal overturned his conviction in January 2025, finding the circumstantial evidence insufficient to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt

Ghana's Supreme Court has awarded GH¢500,000 to a man who spent nearly 24 years on death row after his murder conviction was overturned on appeal, in a ruling that clarifies the constitutional basis for compensation in wrongful conviction cases.

The decision, delivered on June 24, 2026, in Abu Shaibu v. The Republic (2026) GHASC 79, was written by Justice Gaewu and endorsed by four other justices of the Supreme Court.

24 years on death row

Abu Shaibu was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and murder by the High Court in Tamale on March 26, 2001, and sentenced to death under the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960. He did not file an appeal for more than two decades, eventually seeking leave to appeal in June 2022. His formal Notice of Appeal was lodged before the Court of Appeal on July 1, 2024.

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On January 30, 2025, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal on all three grounds raised, finding that the circumstantial evidence relied upon by the prosecution was capable of multiple inferences and fell short of proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The court set aside both convictions, vacated the death sentence, and acquitted and discharged Shaibu.

Following his release, Shaibu applied for a certificate from the Court of Appeal to seek compensation from the Supreme Court under Article 14(7) of Ghana's 1992 Constitution. The Court of Appeal granted the certificate, noting that he had suffered significant economic, social and health consequences from nearly 24 years on death row.

Supreme Court reduces compensation demand

Shaibu approached the Supreme Court seeking GH¢2,864,000, broken down across seven categories including loss of freedom, lost earnings calculated at GH¢3,000 per month over 24 years, social deprivation, reputational damage, and the loss of his standing as a trusted leader of Islamic prayers in his community.

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The State did not dispute his entitlement to compensation but argued the requested amount was excessive, proposing GH¢500,000 instead. Prosecutors contended that claims relating to lost earnings and business opportunities were speculative, noting that Shaibu had provided no evidence of his actual income before his imprisonment.

The Supreme Court agreed. In its ruling, the court acknowledged the severity of spending nearly 24 years on death row but identified two factors that weighed heavily against the larger award. First, Shaibu waited approximately 21 years before taking steps to challenge his conviction, and the court found that this delay contributed significantly to the duration of his incarceration. Second, his financial claims were unsupported by documentary evidence.

The court drew on the framework established in Dodzie Sabbah v. the Republic (2015), which set out specific indices for assessing compensation under Article 14(7), including the gravity of the offence, the length of incarceration, social stigma, and the need to avoid placing an unreasonable burden on the public purse.

The five-member panel ordered the State to pay Shaibu GH¢500,000 as full and final compensation, confirming that such awards are discretionary rather than automatic and depend on a careful examination of the facts in each case.

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Chairman Wontumi proposes five-star prisons

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, had proposed reforms to Ghana's prison system.

Wontumi wants the government to invest in healthcare, accommodation, family visitation facilities and modern infrastructure across the country's prisons.

Source: YEN.com.gh