William Ato Essien, former Chief Executive Officer of defunct Capital Bank, has been in the trends over the weekend, up until this morning.
For those of you readers who may not know why he is in the trends, Adomonline.com has curated the reasons for which it is the case below:
Reason #1: Calls for presidential pardon
A petition, led by one Dr John Apea, Head of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, is gaining traction.
Dr Apea, in his petition, is urging President Mahama to grant clemency to Mr Essien, citing Essien’s deteriorating health and justice concerns.
Reason #2: Public outcry
Ghanaians on social media are sharply divided. Some sympathize with his ailments; others criticize the move, arguing he misused over GH¢90 million in Bank of Ghana liquidity after Capital Bank collapsed.
Reason #3: YouTube news videos from Adom and Joy News
Two recent YouTube news videos from Joy FM and Adom are fueling the conversation, spotlighting Mahama’s involvement and calls for pardon. Clips from these spots are spreading rapidly on X (Twitter).
Summary
Who? William Ato Essien, the former Capital Bank CEO imprisoned in 2023 for financial misconduct.
Status? Campaigns are underway seeking a pardon on medical and humanitarian grounds.
Why now? Sharp backlash and renewed attention from influential figures and media clips.