Today marks 16 years since Tsatsu Tsikata’s unjust conviction, which sent shockwaves through Ghana’s legal and political landscape.
On June 18, 2008, an Accra High Court found Tsikata guilty of causing financial loss to the state, despite his lawyer’s absence and pending applications at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
The conviction was met with widespread disbelief, as Tsikata had been CEO of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and had guaranteed a loan for Valley Farms, a cocoa-producing company.
The Supreme Court later ruled in Tsikata’s favor, declaring Valley Farms commercially viable, contradicting the High Court’s decision.
The Attorney General admitted the company’s viability, which Tsikata’s lawyer had sought to include in the trial evidence.
The conviction’s political undertones were evident, with the state’s sudden and unexpected move to convict Tsikata, despite his trust in the judicial system.
Tsikata’s subsequent imprisonment at Nsawam Prisons became a notable chapter in his life, during which he refused a presidential pardon and chose to trust in the judicial system’s eventual vindication.
His faith was rewarded when the Appeal Court overturned his convictions and sentences on November 30, 2016.
Throughout his ordeal, Tsikata’s belief in justice remained unwavering, famously declaring, “Justice will again be found in the court, and all righteous people will support it.”
