Lawyer and law lecturer at the Law School of UPSA, Justice Abdulai, has explained why a prison sentence of 12 months is legally different from a one-year sentence.

His education on the legal concept comes amid discussions surrounding the release of evangelist Patricia Asieduaa Asiamah also known as Nana Agradaa.

In an interview with GhanaWeb’s Mary Ampeh, the legal luminary said that although both durations may appear identical in ordinary language, they carry different implications in legal interpretation.

According to him, when a court pronounces a sentence of one year, it is often interpreted in practice to mean that the convict may spend roughly eight to nine months in custody due to remission and other factors.

Nana Agradaa released from prison

He, however, noted that when a judge specifically states ‘12 months,’ it suggests that the individual is expected to spend the full 12 months in custody.

“Once you are specific that it is 12 months, it is assumed you are not dealing with one year,” he explained.

Justice Abdulai said he therefore found it curious that the convict served slightly over eight months before being released, raising questions about how the sentence was interpreted by prison authorities.

“I do not know whether what the judge said is different from what was in the warrant sent to the prisons or whether it was interpreted differently,” he stated.

He added that the situation makes the entire process appear unusual and difficult to fully understand from a legal standpoint.

MRA/VPO

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