Ghanaian Man Spends 19 Years in Jail After a Simple Mistake by Judge
- A young Ghanaian man has been acquitted by an Accra High Court after spending 19 years in prison for a crime he denies committing
- According to the details of the story, the young man was initially convicted of an alleged armed robbery offence and sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment
- The case has triggered widespread public concern about the credibility and reliability of Ghana’s criminal justice system
A young Ghanaian man has been acquitted and discharged by an Accra High Court after spending 19 years in prison for a crime he insisted he did not commit.
The man was initially arrested and charged with an alleged armed robbery offence.
Source: UGC
He was subsequently tried and sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment.
However, after nearly two decades behind bars, he regained his freedom following a successful appeal by his lawyers, which led the court to review his case.
Details of the case were shared in an interview published by the Crime Check Foundation (CCF), a non-profit organisation that focuses on criminal justice advocacy, prisoner rehabilitation, and support for vulnerable individuals.
Speaking in the interview, the foundation’s founder, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, explained that during the initial trial, the young man had pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.
He further noted that throughout the investigation, none of the suspects or victims identified the man as being part of the robbery gang.
According to him, the case took a troubling turn when the presiding judge allegedly recorded that the accused had pleaded guilty and had been identified by victims, contrary to the actual proceedings.
This error, he indicated, ultimately led to the wrongful conviction and sentencing of the young man.
Kwarteng stated that the intervention of the Crime Check Foundation played a key role in revisiting the case, adding that without such advocacy, the man could have spent the full 45 years in prison despite maintaining his innocence.
The case has since sparked public concern, with many questioning the reliability of the country’s criminal justice system.
Watch the TikTok video here:
Inmate says prison changed his life
A 20-year-old inmate, Amidu Dawuda, who was convicted on two counts of misconduct after stealing two mobile phones and GHC 1,200 from a neighbour, has expressed gratitude for his arrest and subsequent imprisonment, describing the experience as life-changing.
Source: Getty Images
Amidu said his time in prison has transformed his life for the better and helped him reflect on his actions.
He made this known in an interview with the Crime Check Foundation, when members of the non-governmental organisation visited the James Camp Prison.
According to him, his arrest opened his eyes to the dangerous path he was heading down.
He admitted that he had ignored repeated advice from his parents to stop stealing, a decision he now regrets deeply.
He further noted that his criminal lifestyle could have cost him his life, noting that he might have been lynched if he had continued on that path.
He used the opportunity to plead with his parents to forgive him, expressing remorse for his actions and the pain he caused them.
He indicated that his time in prison has allowed him to learn a skill, which he hopes to develop further when he is released.
Watch the TikTok video here:
Court jails Agradaa for 15 years
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that an Accra Circuit Court jailed televangelist Agradaa, also known as Evangelist Mama Pat, for 15 years with hard labour.
She was sentenced over a 2022 incident where she organised an all-night service and promised to double the money for attendees, with many lodging formal complaints.
Source: YEN.com.gh
