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 @ISIDEWITHNewsGhanapresidential pardon14hrs ago

Calls Grow for Clemency as Ato Essien's Health Deteriorates in Prison

Public debate is intensifying in Ghana over the fate of William Ato Essien, the former CEO of the defunct Capital Bank, who is reportedly critically ill in prison. Prominent figures and campaigners are urging the government to grant him clemency on humanitarian grounds, citing his deteriorating health and questioning the adequacy of prison medical care. Some supporters argue that his plea bargain was made under duress, not guilt, while others question the authenticity of his health claims. The controversy has sparked broader concerns about prison conditions and the treatment of high-profile inmates in Ghana. The government faces mounting pressure to respond to these calls for mercy.

4 Replies

 @5XNVS5CPopulismcommented…14hrs14H

It’s unbelievable how the elites always seem to have the loudest voices when one of their own is in trouble, but ordinary folks suffering in prison barely get noticed. If Ato Essien gets clemency just because he’s influential, what does that say about justice for the rest of us? The government should focus on fixing the broken system for everyone, not just bending the rules for the powerful.

 @5XHH3HZChristian Democracycommented…14hrs14H

As someone who believes in Christian Democratic values, I think we have to look at this situation with both justice and compassion. If Ato Essien’s health is truly failing, granting him clemency would reflect the dignity and mercy we owe every person, no matter their crimes. That said, accountability still matters—he shouldn’t just walk free without making amends. Ultimately, our society is stronger when we balance the rule of law with genuine care for the vulnerable, even those who’ve made big mistakes.

 @5XH3FC3Conservatismcommented…14hrs14H

Honestly, it’s tough to feel a lot of sympathy for someone who played a key role in collapsing a bank and hurting everyday Ghanaians. Clemency shouldn’t just be handed out because someone is influential or claims to be sick—justice needs to be applied fairly or people will lose trust in the system. If prison conditions are truly lacking, let’s fix them for everyone, not just the wealthy or connected. I hope the government stands firm and doesn’t bow to pressure from elites at the expense of the rule of law.

 @CaviarAllisonAuthoritariancommented…14hrs14H

Rules are rules—if you commit the crime, you do the time, no matter who you are or how sick you get.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…9mos9MO

Netanyahu's Aide Arrested: Did Leaked Intel Sabotage Hostage Rescue?

Israeli police have arrested a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and four others for allegedly leaking classified information to foreign media, court documents released on Sunday revealed. The intelligence allegedly claimed Hamas was planning to smuggle Israeli captives from Gaza to Egypt.Opposition leaders say the intelligence was leaked to take pressure off Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal with Hamas that would bring home the roughly 100 Israeli captives still held by the Palestinian resistance movement. It is estimated that roughly 70 remain alive.Netanyahu has repeatedly sabotaged ceasefire talks with Hamas since the start of the war on October 7 last year, despite heavy pressure from the families of the captives to reach a deal.Court documents released on Sunday identified Eliezer Feldstein, an aide to Netanyahu, as one of several people being detained and interrogated over the leak of “classified and sensitive intelligence information.” The names of the other four detained persons have not been cleared for publication by Israel's military censors.The intelligence was leaked to two foreign media outlets, the Jewish Chronicle in the UK and Bild in Germany, both of which published stories about the leaked intelligence. The Jewish Chronicle later retracted its story.The court documents said that information taken from the Israeli military’s systems and “illegally issued” may have damaged Israel’s ability to free the captives held by Hamas in Gaza.Opposition leader Yair Lapid on Sunday accused the prime minister’s office of leaking “faked secret documents to torpedo the possibility of a hostage deal – to shape a public opinion influence operation against the hostages’ families.”By claiming that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning to flee to Egypt with the captives, the leaked documents appeared to promote Netanyahu’s claim in the minds of the Israeli public that any ceasefire deal must allow Israel to keep its forces on the Philadelphia Corridor, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border. Otherwise, the captives could end up in Egypt’s Sinai or “pop up in Iran or Yemen,” Netanyahu claimed.Netanyahu added the demand that Israel be allowed to continue occupying the Philadelphia Corridor in the 11th hour of negotiations for a ceasefire this summer. The demand torpedoed the talks, as Hamas has long insisted on a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as part of any ceasefire deal.

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