Dr John Apea, the Head of Missions at the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and Board Member of the Commonwealth Human Rights Office for Africa, has once again reiterated calls for presidential clemency for William Ato Essien.
According to Dr. Apea Ato Essien is now wheelchair-bound, suffering from a spinal injury sustained while in custody.
Speaking in an X Space on Sunday, Dr. Apea stated, “As it stands now, Ato is not receiving the necessary medical care that a prison facility or within the prison walls that he needs, you know?”
“So that’s why, for me, the clemency is the biggest thing I’m most interested in now, court, case, capital, bank, all that stuff. I don’t want to meddle in politics either. Let the lawyer deal with that one step at a time”.
He added, “But for now, we have to look at what the real issue is. The real issue is that here’s our father, here’s our brother, here’s our son who can’t take care of himself in prison because he’s in ill health.
Do we leave him there? Is that rehabilitation, or is that a death penalty? We don’t have capital punishment for financial crimes in Ghana, but is this a silent execution that we are putting people who are ill through? I don’t think that should be the case,” he said.
Also, the leader and founder of Alabaster International Ministry, Prophet Kofi Oduro, has added his voice to growing calls for President John Dramani Mahama to grant clemency to defunct Capital Bank founder William Ato Essien.
According to Kofi Oduro, Ato Essien knows how to make money; he also knows how to build a business, so he should be pardoned to work and pay his debts to the nation rather than languish in jail.
Speaking to his congregants on Sunday, 6 July 2025, Kofi Oduro stated, “Your Excellency, there is a petition coming to your table, by the lawyers of that young man. Please, that young man is too intelligent for prison, and at the moment, he has a health challenge.
On humanitarian grounds please could he please be added to the people that would be pardoned this year? Ato Essien is the name. That young man knows how to make money, he knows how to build businesses, he knows how to build even a nation”.
Even if Ato Essien owes the nation, let’s release him so he can work and repay, rather than let him die in person. I think that would be a waste of life”, he added.
In addition, Kwaku Sintim-Misa, popularly known as KSM, a veteran Ghanaian satirist and television personality, has begged President John Dramani Mahama to pardon the CEO of defunct Capital Bank, William Ato Essien.
KSM revealed that Ato Essien had an accident in jail and sustained a severe spinal injury, which has now left him in a wheelchair.
According to KSM, Ato Essien has been wrong and is languishing in jail.
Speaking on The KSM ShowKwaku Sintim-Misa stated, “Mr. President, I beg you. Please, this man, in my view, has been wronged. He is languishing in jail. If you should go and visit Ato Essien right now, the man is in a wheelchair.”
“He had an accident while in jail, and I think he sustained a very severe spinal injury. So right now, the man is in extremely bad shape. He is in a wheelchair because he has a spinal problem… so many things.”
“I am using this platform to appeal to His Excellency. Please, you have the power of clemency. I am begging the President. I can use this platform for all Ghanaians to add their voices and plead that Ato Essien does not belong there,” KSM stated.
Background
Ato Essien’s legal troubles began after the collapse of Capital Bank, which was among the financial institutions affected by Ghana’s banking sector cleanup between 2017 and 2019.
He was convicted of financial crimes, including the embezzlement of GH¢620 million in liquidity support from the Bank of Ghana, contributing to the financial instability and loss of confidence in the banking sector.
In October 2023, Essien was sentenced to 15 years in prison for failing to meet the terms of a settlement agreement with the state. The agreement required him to repay GH¢90 million as restitution to avoid jail time.
Despite multiple extensions since December 2022, Essien only managed to GH¢30 million upfront, leaving the remaining GH¢60 million unpaid, leaving the court with no choice but to impose the sentence.
Essien is reportedly suffering from serious, life-threatening health issues and has undergone several surgeries.
However, there were earlier reports some months ago that the former President Akufo-Addo had pardoned William Ato Essien.
But the Office of the President under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government refuted claims that Ato Essien and ten (10) others have received presidential pardons.