GH¢800,000 awarded to Yaw Appiah After 19 Years Behind Bars For Wrongful Imprisonment

The ruling, delivered on February 10, 2026, by a five-member panel presided over by Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, marks a significant decision in addressing wrongful convictions and prolonged imprisonment in Ghana. Appiah was arrested in 2006 and spent five years on remand before being convicted in 2011 at the age of 29 for robbery. He was subsequently handed a 45-year prison sentence.

However, in March 2025, the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged him, describing his conviction as a “tragedy” after he had already spent about 19 years at the Nsawam Prison. Following his release, Appiah, through his lawyers Augustine Obour and Claudia Coleman, filed an application at the Supreme Court seeking GH¢2,020,800 in compensation for wrongful imprisonment.

The State, represented by Principal State Attorney Nana Adoma Osei, argued for a significantly lower amount, proposing between GH¢75,000 and GH¢100,000.

After considering submissions from both sides, the Supreme Court awarded GH¢800,000, citing legal principles and drawing guidance from the Dodzi Sabbah case.

The ruling was grounded in Article 14(5) and (7) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees compensation for individuals who have been unlawfully arrested, detained, or wrongfully convicted.