The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) says the settlement reached between the state and William Ato Essien, founder of defunct Capital Bank is not worth of the crime committed. 

According to the Programmes Manager of GII, Madam Mary Awelana Addah, from the look of things, the settlement reached does not deter corruption. 

Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, she also said the accused should have been convicted in addition to repayment of the monies. 

According to her, the government missed an opportunity to set a good precedent against stealing of state resources. 

“This was a fine opportunity for the Attorney General to demonstrate that the fight against crime is a fight against blatant stealing of state resources is one it intends to pursue to every good conclusion.

"It is for the citizens to know that we can trust this system again but if we see these things again, then we are beginning to think that we just want to get into please bargain and let people get away which leads hide all the stolen assets and go back to enjoy them. 

“So when you say that shouldn’t we have pursued both, I believe that is the question for the Deputy Attorney General to answer to Ghanaians because we should have pursued both,” he said. 

An Accra High Court on Tuesday, December 13, accepted the terms of a settlement reached between the state and William Ato Essien, founder of defunct Capital Bank.

This was after an earlier rejection of the proposed settlement by the court.

Mr Essien was charged with the offence of conspiracy to steal, stealing and money laundering.

However, in court on Tuesday, state prosecutors and lawyers for Ato Essien advanced arguments to convince the court that the terms of the settlement reached between the two parties is the best deal for the state.

Per the agreement, Mr Essien has already paid an amount of GH¢30 million out of the GH¢90 million he has agreed to pay.