Dr. John Apea, Head of Missions at the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and Board Member of the Commonwealth Human Rights Office (Africa), has made a passionate appeal to the government to revisit the case of William Ato Essien, the founder of the now-defunct Capital Bank, who is currently serving a prison sentence.

Speaking to journalists, Dr. Apea questioned the legitimacy of the GHS 90 million theft allegation against Ato Essien, describing it as “a hoax” and a misrepresentation of facts.

According to him, Ato Essien was neither the Chief Executive Officer nor the Managing Director of Capital Bank at the time the Bank of Ghana extended liquidity support to the bank.

He clarified that Mr. Essien received a legally approved finder’s fee or facilitator’s fee of GHS 27.5 million for helping secure the liquidity support.

“Do you know what the GHS 90 million is made up of?” Dr. Apea asked.

“It includes the GHS 27.5 million Essien earned legally, plus a 300% surcharge slapped on it, bringing the total to GHS 90 million.

There was no theft.”

Dr. Apea further explained that the liquidity support in question was a loan to Capital Bank, and Ato Essien’s fee was a legitimate commission for facilitating that loan.

He revealed that the bank was repaying the loan at GHS 14.4 million monthly, and expressed concern that while other individuals involved in the transaction—including the bank’s MD who authorised the payment—were acquitted, only Ato Essien was convicted and imprisoned.

“Ato Essien is the only person languishing in jail—currently in a wheelchair and in poor health,” Dr. Apea lamented.

He added that even if there had been a dispute over the GHS 27.5 million, Ato Essien had made amends.

“If you say he stole the money and made a mistake, he paid it back, plus an additional GHS 16 million.

At the time he was jailed, he had already paid back GHS 43.5 million.

This could happen to anybody.”

Dr. Apea also announced plans to launch a public justice initiative in September, which will include a digital portal for collecting petitions from individuals who believe they have been wrongfully prosecuted or imprisoned.

He said a network of lawyers would be assembled to work pro bono to defend such individuals, similar to the effort being mounted on behalf of Ato Essien.

“I am committed to fighting this injustice,” he declared, vowing to ensure that others who may have been wrongly jailed also get a chance at justice.