A Ghanaian man, known as Ali, has shared his harrowing story of wrongful conviction and imprisonment. Ali stood as a surety for a relative who defaulted on a Gh¢200,000 bank loan repayment. In a bid to help his family member avoid conviction, Ali used his brother’s property documents to secure bail.
However, the relative absconded after attending court on three consecutive occasions, leaving Ali to face the consequences. Despite searching for his relative, Ali was unable to locate him and was subsequently sentenced to 15 years in prison, which was later reduced to 14 years.
During his imprisonment, Ali’s wife informed him that she could no longer wait for his return and had decided to move on. Upon his release, Ali was met with the painful reality of losing his wife and the collapse of his business. He now struggles to rebuild his life as a credit card vendor.
Ali’s story highlights the complexities of the justice system and the need for reform to prevent similar cases of wrongful conviction.