At the UPSA Law School honourific lecture held on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, renowned Ghanaian lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata used part of his address to reflect on his time in prison and recognise the support he received from his wife, Esther Cobbah.

The event, themed “Celebrating the Lifetime Achievements of Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata,” provided a platform for him to speak about both his legal career and personal experiences, including his imprisonment during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

He said his wife’s commitment during that period played a key role in helping him through the experience.

“In the midst of what I went through this whole period, my wife, Esther, in particular, stood with me with total dedication and in such an amazing way that is why I’m still here and alive,” he stated.

Background

Tsikata’s imprisonment followed a criminal case that drew national attention. As former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, he was convicted in 2008 of causing financial loss to the state.

The case was linked to a loan guarantee he approved in the 1990s for a private company that later defaulted. While prosecutors argued that the decision led to financial loss, his defence maintained it was taken in the national interest and within his authority.

He was sentenced to five years in prison by an Accra Fast Track High Court, a decision that generated public debate, with differing views on whether it reflected political motivation or accountability in public office.

He served part of his sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison before being granted a presidential pardon in 2009 by the late former President John Evans Atta Mills.

In 2010, the Supreme Court of Ghana overturned the conviction, ruling that the trial had been flawed and constituted a miscarriage of justice.

The case remains a reference point in discussions on law, governance, and political transitions in Ghana.