President John Agyekum Kufuor granted amnesty to a...

President John Agyekum Kufuor granted amnesty to a number of prisoners including those on the death row, life sentence and first offenders. A statement signed by Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Minister of the Interior, said the President granted the amnesty in the exercise of his Prerogative of Mercy under Article 72 of the Constitution on the recommendations of the Prisons Service Council and in consultation with the Council of State. Included in the in the amnesty were one hundred and seventy-nine prisoners on the death row, who had served at least 10 years and two who had exhibited exemplary conduct were to have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. The amnesties were announced to commemorate Ghana's Forty Third Republic anniversary.