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Former Chief Executive of GNPC,
Tsatsu Tsikata |
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Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive of GNPC says he
rejected the pardon granted to him by former President
John Agyekum Kufuor because it was not done in good faith.
He said cynicism attached to the pardon did not portray
any genuineness for justice but to show its opponent
'where power lies'. Mr Tsikata gave the explanation at a
special forum organised by members of Free Tsatsu Campaign
(FTC) to welcome him after his release from prison.
The well-attended forum attracted people from all walks of
life including functionaries of National Democratic
Congress (NDC). Mr Tsikata expressed concern about
challenges of the country's legal systems and interference
by the executive in affairs of the Judiciary.
He said his personal experiences with the legal and
judicial systems had brought to the fore the unfair nature
of the system. Mr Tsikata said his agenda for justice was
not only about the injustice meted out to him but to the
countless Ghanaians who had similar problems with the
legal and judicial systems.
He pointed out that he did not harbour any bitterness
against former President Kufuor or Mrs Justice Henrietta
Abban, the trial judge for his incarceration but rather
sought God's guidance and prayer for them.
Mr Tsikata commended Ghanaians for their solidarity and
support during his incarceration which he described "as
overwhelming." He pledged to work to ensure that about
1,200 inmates at Nsawam Medium Security Prison most of
them on remand without any warrant were released.
"Remanding these inmates without any warrant is an abuse
of their human rights and efforts should be done to secure
their freedom," he added.
Professor Akilapka Sawyerr, former Vice Chancellor of
University of Ghana expressed his delight and relief that
Mr Tsikata had returned from prison.
He said Mr Tsikata was among the few selfless people who
had sacrificed for the country in the quest to search for
oil. "Everything about Mr Tsikata's imprisonment was abuse
of the judicial process, "he said.
Mr Kwesi Pratt Junior, member of FTC said Mr Tsikata's
release from prison did not mean the struggle had ended.
"This campaign is not just about Mr Tsikata but for all
Ghanaians no matter their class, status or political
affiliation," he added. Mr Pratt said there were many
prisoners because of executive manipulation and the task
was to ensure such people had justice and fair play.
Former President Kufuor in a statement on January 6,
pardoned over 500 prisoners of various categories
including Mr Tsikata who was serving a five-year term for
wilfully causing financial loss to the State. It said
seven personalities had also been granted "free, absolute
and unconditional pardon".
On June 18, last year, an Accra Fast Track High Court
presided over by Mrs Justice Henrietta Abban, an Appeal
Court Judge sitting as a High Court Judge,
sentenced Tsikata to five years' imprisonment for wilfully
causing financial loss to the State and misapplying public
property. He was found guilty on three counts of causing
financial loss to the State and one count of misapplying
public property and jailed for five years on each count to
run concurrently.
Tsikata was charged with three counts of wilfully causing
financial loss of GH¢ 230,000 (2.3 billion old cedis) to
the State through a loan he, on behalf of GNPC, guaranteed
for Valley Farms, a private company, and another count of
misapplying public property.
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