Prominent human rights lawyer and Member of Parliament, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has reiterated the need for a clear legal framework to compensate individuals who have been wrongfully imprisoned.
His remarks come in response to the recent exoneration of Yaw Appiah, a businessman who spent 19 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit.
Taking to Twitter on March 7, 2025, Francis-Xavier Sosu emphasised the importance of his proposed Compensation Bill, which he first introduced in Parliament in 2021.
According to him, while there are established penalty units for crimes committed, Ghana lacks a structured system to compensate those who have been wrongfully arrested, detained, or convicted.
“This is precisely why I introduced the Compensation Bill in 2021 in the 8th Parliament,” he wrote.
“When a crime is committed, there are laid down penalty units provided for by law, which prescribe the amount to be paid as a fine. However, there are no laid-down laws that cater to people who have been wrongfully arrested, detained, and/or convicted when they get the opportunity to seek redress for the wrong done them by the state.”
He pointed out that in the absence of a legal standard for computing compensation, courts are left to exercise their discretion, which often leads to unsatisfactory outcomes.
He argued that justice demands a structured legal framework to address these injustices and ensure fairness in Ghana’s legal system.
“As a society, we must create and ensure that laws guarantee the creation of a fair, secure, progressive, and just society. Serving 19 years in jail wrongfully is a clear violation of Articles 14(5) and 14(7) of the 1992 Constitution,” he noted.
He further stated that the passage of the Compensation Act would prevent abuses by security personnel and address the broader issue of judicial injustices faced by many Ghanaians accused of crimes they did not commit.
Yaw Appiah’s case has sparked widespread public debate, with many calling for urgent reforms in Ghana’s justice system.
The Court of Appeal recently acquitted and discharged him after finding that the High Court had misinterpreted evidence and wrongfully convicted him.
This is precisely why I introduced the Compensation Bill in 2021 in the 8th Parliament.
When a crime is committed, there are laid down penalty units provided for by law, which prescribes the amount to be paid as a fine. However, there are no laid down laws that cater to people… pic.twitter.com/OEtkWHivI3
— Francis-Xavier Sosu (@fx_sosu) March 7, 2025
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