President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday granted amnesty to a number of prisoners including those on the death row, life sentence and first offenders.

A statement signed by Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Minister of the Interior on Monday, said the President granted the amnesty in the exercise of his Prerogative of Mercy under Article 72 of the Constitution on the recommendations of the Prisons Service Council and in consultation with the Council of State.

It said 2,004 first offenders, who have one year or less to serve would be released outright. Ten first offenders of the Sunyani Central Prison with minor offences, who exhibited exemplary conduct and a high sense of fellow feeling, are also to be released outright.

One hundred and seventy-nine prisoners on the death row, who have served at least 10 years and two who have exhibited exemplary conduct are to have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.

The Release said 23 prisoners, who are on life sentence and have served at least 10 years were to have their sentences commuted to a definite term of 20 years in hard labour.

Eighteen prisoners, who are seriously ill and nine others who are over 60 years of age are to be released on compassionate grounds since their continuous imprisonment would be detrimental to their life.

The 10 Sunyani prisoners were recommended for release because they took a Farmer to hospital. The Farmer, who had hired their services collapsed on his farm and one of them drove the Farmer's car and they took him to the Sunyani Government Hospital. The Warder, who accompanied them, did not know how to drive.