Ghana pardons 794 prisoners to curb spread of COVID-19

By Adam Abu-bashal

ABUJA, Nigeria (AA) - Ghana pardoned 794 prisoners Thursday as part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

According to a statement by the Ghana Prisons Service, the prisoners were pardoned with the approval of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

They comprised people who had been arrested for the first time, were seriously ill or aged 70 and above, the statement said.

Previously, 808 prisoners were pardoned as part of the country’s COVID-19 measures.

Ghana has reported 18,134 cases and 117 deaths as well as 13,550 recoveries.

The pandemic has claimed over 520,000 lives in 188 countries and regions since it originated in Wuhan, China last December.

The US, Brazil, Russia and India are currently the worst-hit countries in the world.

More than 10.84 million COVID-19 cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries exceeding 5.72 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan