TD Accra, Ghana — A Ghanaian teacher, Eric Asante, has been acquitted by the Supreme Court after spending 10 years in prison for a crime he insisted he did not commit.
In 2005, the Tamale High Court convicted Asante of defiling a 14-year-old student, Rubamatu Mohammed.
The court subsequently sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The conviction was based largely on the claim that he had impregnated the student, resulting in a child.
Despite maintaining his innocence, his appeal at the Court of Appeal was dismissed.
He served two-thirds of his sentence at Nsawam Medium Security Prisons before being released in 2010 on good conduct, but the conviction continued to haunt him.
Supreme Court Intervention
In 2012, Asante petitioned the Supreme Court.
A five-member panel led by Justice Anin Yeboah ordered a paternity DNA test at the Police Hospital Forensic Laboratory.
The test results revealed no paternal link between Asante and the child.
On January 26, 2017, the Supreme Court acquitted and discharged him, ruling that the evidence used in the initial conviction was inaccurate and insufficient.
Asante’s Reaction
Speaking after his release, Asante described his ordeal as devastating:
- “Prior to my predicament, I had so many dreams and aspirations, but all disappeared into thin air when I was handed the 15-year jail sentence.”
- He added that no amount of money could compensate for his suffering.
- He noted that even outside prison, he felt “virtually in some sort of prison given society’s perception about ex-convicts.”
Compensation Demand
The Supreme Court advised Asante to apply for compensation.
His lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu, is demanding GH¢10 million from the state.
Using an indicative rate of about GH¢11.8 per US$1 based on recent Bank of Ghana rates, GH¢10 million is approximately US$850,000.
Wider Implications
The case has reignited debate about wrongful convictions in Ghana, with analysts pointing to:
- Congested prisons filled with remand prisoners claiming innocence.
- Lengthy court processes and appeals that delay justice.
- The urgent need for systemic reforms to prevent miscarriages of justice.
Eric Asante’s acquittal highlights the devastating impact of wrongful convictions and the importance of forensic evidence in ensuring justice.
His case stands as a reminder of the human cost of judicial errors and the pressing need for reforms in Ghana’s criminal justice system.
