Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has questioned the continued absence of a high-profile convicted former official who remains outside the country despite a change in government.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews Desk, Mr Kpebu said he had expected the individual to return to Ghana soon after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won power, arguing that the political transition created an opportunity to face justice under less hostile conditions.
“To be honest, when the NDC won, I thought she would have quickly come back,” he said, adding that her status would likely have ensured better treatment within the prison system. Mr Kpebu suggested that serving a limited custodial sentence could have paved the way for a possible presidential pardon.
According to him, returning earlier would have reduced public controversy. He argued that serving “maybe three years” before seeking clemency could have been viewed as an acceptance of responsibility, making a pardon less contentious.
Mr Kpebu, however, expressed surprise that the individual had remained abroad for so long, noting that the political circumstances appeared favourable. “For all the time she kept staying there, I kept wondering what was going amiss,” he said.
The comments reflect ongoing public debate about accountability, justice, and the use of presidential pardons in politically sensitive cases.