Mahama pardons 863 convicts to mark Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary

President John Dramani Mahama has granted presidential pardons to 863 convicted persons in commemoration of Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary, the Presidency announced on Monday, October 5, 2026.

In a statement signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, the Presidency said the President exercised the prerogative of mercy in accordance with Article 72(1) of the 1992 Constitution, following consultation with the Council of State.

The statement described the pardon as “an act of mercy and national reflection,” marking what it called a significant milestone in the nation’s history. It added that the relevant state institutions have been directed to take the necessary steps to give effect to the President’s decision.

Breakdown of beneficiaries

First offenders make up the overwhelming majority of the beneficiaries. According to the Presidency’s breakdown, 819 first offenders are to be released outright.

Thirteen very old persons, aged 70 and above, will also be freed outright. Six seriously ill inmates are likewise to be released, while two persons benefit from outright release on special recommendation.

The pardon also touches some of the country’s most severe sentences. Eleven inmates on death row will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, and six others serving life sentences will have theirs reduced to 20 years definite.

Three persons were pardoned following petitions, and another three fall under the category of “Others,” which the statement did not define further.

Together, these categories account for the full 863 beneficiaries.

The constitutional basis

Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution empowers the President to grant a pardon, reduce a sentence, or substitute a less severe punishment, acting on the advice of the Council of State. By invoking the provision and confirming the consultation, the Presidency has signalled that the process followed the constitutional route.

Presidential pardons to mark national occasions are not new in Ghana, and they often prompt public discussion about prison congestion, rehabilitation and the place of mercy in the justice system.

What remains unclear

The statement did not name any of the beneficiaries or say when the releases would take place. It also did not explain the criteria for the “Special Recommendation” and “Others” categories, or say how the commutations for those on death row and life sentences will be administered.

It is also not yet clear what reintegration support, if any, will be offered to those freed, a question that rights advocates and prison reform groups frequently raise whenever large numbers of inmates are released at once.

The Presidency has directed state institutions, presumably including the Ghana Prisons Service, to implement the decision. Further details are expected as those agencies begin the process.