The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has appealed to President John Agyekum Kufuor to "exercise his prerogative powers of mercy" to reduce the four-year sentence imposed on former sports Minister Mallam Isa.

Mallam Issa is in jail for stealing 46,000 dollars being winning bonus for the senior national soccer team during a World Cup qualifier in Sudan.

Mr Ekwow Spio-Grabrah, Chairman of the NDC Media Committee said in a statement at the weekend that the party was shocked at the four-year jail sentence imposed on the former minister.

"As much as the NDC appreciates the fact that public officials must be held accountable for their actions, especially when such conduct borders on the loss of public funds, the case of the dismissed Minister ought to attract the sympathy of the law.

"This is because he did not only accept responsibility for the loss of money, but he also made an open offer to refund the money, without admitting that he stole it. Furthermore, he has already lost his job as a Minister and his image has been badly damaged."

The NDC said justice ought to have been tempered with mercy by the imposition of a shorter custodial sentence while emphasising the option of recovering the money to the state.

The party stressed that it is not by the statement suggesting that the law should discriminatory be in favour of high public officials when it comes to dispensing justice.

It said the party's position is based on the special circumstances surrounding Mallam Isa's case, which ought to attract more sympathy. The party called on Ghanaians to join them in their appeal to the president.