Freedom at last: Court of appeal acquits Ataa Ayi's alleged accomplice after 23 years in prison

The Court of Appeal in Accra has acquitted Yaw Asante Agyekum. He was convicted in 2002 as an alleged accomplice of Ghana’s notorious armed robber, Ataa Ayi. Agyekum served 23 years of a 35-year sentence for conspiracy to commit robbery. The court ruled he had been wrongfully convicted.

A three-member panel of justices unanimously decided the prosecution failed to prove his involvement. They stated that the evidence against him was mostly circumstantial. This acquittal brings closure to a long battle for justice.

After his release, an emotional Yaw Asante Agyekum spoke with JOYNEWS’s Kenneth Gyasi. He said, "I knew I was innocent. I always prayed that I would be out of prison."

He recalled how his life changed forever: "I was a motor repairer and fixed Ataa Ayi’s motorbike." He did not know Ayi was an armed robber; he only knew him as a taxi driver.

Agyekum was arrested in church in 2001, shortly after his wife became pregnant. Throughout his trial and incarceration, he maintained that his link to Ataa Ayi was professional.

His conviction occurred during a national crackdown on violent crime. At that time, Ataa Ayi—born Raymond Ayeetey—led a sophisticated robbery syndicate. This group ambushed individuals after bank withdrawals and terrorized neighborhoods in Accra and Tema.

Ataa Ayi was captured in 2005 and sentenced to 160 years in prison for various robbery attacks.

Agyekum's release is prompting human rights groups to call for broader reviews of criminal cases from that era. Legal analysts say his case highlights flaws in the justice system, especially regarding weak evidence used in high-pressure prosecutions.

His acquittal raises questions about reparations for wrongful imprisonment. There are growing calls for compensation and support for reintegration after over two decades behind bars.

For now, Yaw Asante Agyekum is grateful to regain his freedom. He hopes to rebuild the life taken from him more than twenty years ago.