Parliament has enacted the Criminal Offences Amendment Act, of 2022, which intends to replace the death penalty with a life sentence.
In Ghana, the death sentence is applied upon a conviction for murder, attempted murder, genocide, piracy, or gold or diamond smuggling.
However, some human rights campaigners have claimed that the death penalty is too decisive and irrevocable, and have called for it to be replaced with a life sentence.
The bill’s passing, according to Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin, calls for national jubilation.
Although that the death penalty was inherited from the colonial government as a punishment for murder, attempted murder, genocide, piracy, and gold or diamond smuggling, the Presidents of Ghana have not issued a death warrant for the execution of criminals since 1993.
