Lifestyle
Injustice – 69-Year-Old Woman Wrongfully Jailed For 11 Years Set Free
Injustice in an unjust world could come in many forms, like the case of this 69 year old food vendor who was wrongly jailed 11 years over allegation of possessing narcotics.
She has now been released after serving five years behind bars.
Ama Forson, a food vendor, who was 64 when she was found guilty by the circuit court in Accra in 2016, just got her freedom under Justice-for-All programme.
Madam Forson is now a beneficiary of In Prison Paralegal Programme/Appeal of POS Foundation, which empowers inmates to file an appeal by themselves when their conviction or trial might have suffered a miscarriage of justice because of their inability to secure a good lawyer to cross-examine evidence adduced against them.
Ama Forson told her story at a short programme at the Law Court Complex in Accra in tears.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah said the country’s justice delivery system has internal corrective mechanisms for persons whose conviction or trial might have suffered injustice.
However, it took those with the means to trigger the law, he said.
“A well-funded national Legal Aid Scheme should be an important programme that as a nation, we should commit our resources for our people,” Chief Justice Anin said during the premiering of a documentary dubbed: ‘’The untold story of Ama Forson’’.
At the same event, the Acting Deputy Chief of Missions at the United States Embassy, Virginia Elliot, said the greatness of a nation was measured on how it treated the marginalized.
According to her, the US Government was providing support by training prosecutors and lawyers on the Case Tracking System where criminal cases would be monitored from start to finish.
READ ALSO: ‘My Daughter Is Innocent, Help Us Beg Govt To Release Her’
On his part, Chief Executive Officer of KAB FAM Ghana Limited, Kwaku Antwi Boahen, dealers in electrical appliances, donated a cheque for GH¢ 20,000 to Ama Forson, who had no fixed place of abode, to start a business.
He pledged to provide her with some appliances as a start-up for her business.
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Onome Agesse
June 30, 2021 at 5:19 pm
I can’t even imagine what this woman would be going through. Locked up for a crime not committed. 5 years of her life spent behind bars because a system couldn’t and wouldn’t do the needful.
Grateful that an Organisation is now set up to release falsely imprisoned people.
Ajibulu Oluwaferanmi Esther
June 27, 2021 at 4:52 pm
To imagine the pain and mental stress Ama Forson must have gone through to be locked up for 5 years for a crime she did not commit? Imagine the shame, stigmatizing looks and stares, not only for her but her family inclusive.
This could have been prevented if a thorough investigation was carried out. Thanks to Chief Executive Officer of KAB FAM Ghana Limited, Kwaku Antwi Boahen, for the donation to help get Ama back on her feet.
I am glad justice was served.