Philip Assibit, one of the key figures involved in the National Youth Employment Agency (NYEP) scandal, has received a presidential pardon from President Akufo-Addo, citing health concerns as the basis for the decision.
Presidential pardons are often observed at the conclusion of presidential terms in Ghana and other nations. Assibit served as a private service provider to the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (formerly NYEP) and was the CEO of Goodwill International Ghana (GIG). In 2018, he was convicted on six counts related to defrauding by false pretenses and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
In conjunction with Abuga Pele, who was also convicted in the case, Assibit faced allegations of fraudulent claims amounting to 3.3 million cedis for non-existent services, which included the development of an exit program and securing a grant from the World Bank.
Abuga Pele received a six-year sentence but was pardoned in July 2021, also on health grounds. With Assibit having served half of his sentence, his pardon is part of a broader initiative, as he is among nine convicts receiving clemency from the president.
Noteworthy among the list is William Ato Essien, the founder of the now-defunct Capital Bank, who was sentenced to 15 years in December 2023 for financial misconduct involving the bank’s collapse. Essien’s pardon also reflects health-related considerations, as he has undergone significant medical procedures since his incarceration.
These decisions aim to address the concerns of health and rehabilitation while reinforcing the values of mercy and justice in the judicial system.
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