Francis-Xavier Sosu, Member of Parliament for Madina and a prominent human rights advocate, has announced plans to formally petition President John Dramani Mahama to introduce definite custodial terms for prisoners whose death sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment.
This move follows Ghana’s recent historic abolition of the death penalty, a decision widely hailed by human rights groups both locally and internationally.
During a visit to the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons on Monday, May 19, 2025, Sosu expressed concern over the legal ambiguity and psychological hardship faced by ex-death row inmates now serving life sentences without clarity on their duration.
“The President, in commuting them from death row to life sentences, must commit them to definite terms. For instance, assigning a standard sentence like 25 years would align with the spirit of justice and equality under Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution,” Sosu told journalists.
Sosu, who also serves on Parliament’s Human Rights Committee, emphasised that indefinite life sentences could amount to a new form of injustice, especially for individuals who have already endured years under the trauma of death row.
“We must ensure that justice is not only done, but is seen to be done, clearly and fairly,” he added.
He disclosed plans to collaborate with the Human Rights Committee to draft and submit a formal petition to President Mahama, through the Attorney General, calling for standardised prison terms for all ex-death row inmates.
Ghana recently became one of the few countries in Africa to abolish the death penalty, replacing it with life imprisonment for capital offences. While this has been seen as a major win for human rights, the transition has left a legal gap regarding how long life-sentenced individuals should serve, especially those who were already on death row before the law was passed.
Sosu believes that without structured sentencing, the abolition risks leaving some inmates in legal limbo. “Our intervention is to make sure there’s equity in sentencing, and that those affected are not left behind in our march toward a more humane justice system,” he said.
His proposal is expected to spark national discussion on criminal justice reform, inmate rights, and the broader implications of Ghana’s decision to end capital punishment.
