Court Overturns and frees Ataa Ayi’s alleged accomplice after 20 years in prison

After spending over two decades behind bars, Yaw Asante Agyekum has been declared innocent and discharged by the Court of Appeal. Agyekum, a mechanic, was sentenced to 35 years in prison in December 2002 at the age of 24 for conspiracy to commit robbery. He had been accused of being an accomplice to one of Ghana’s most notorious armed robbers, Raymond Aryee Aryeetey, popularly known as Ataa Ayi.

On Thursday, June 5, 2025, a three-member panel of Justices ruled in favor of Agyekum’s appeal. Reading the judgment, Justice Aboagye Tanoh stated that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify the conviction and sentence. “The appellant’s appeal has succeeded, and he has accordingly been acquitted and discharged,” the Court of Appeal declared.

Agyekum’s lawyer, George Bernard Shaw, argued that his client’s only link to Ataa Ayi was through his profession. According to him, many of the motorcycles used by Ataa Ayi’s gang were brought to Agyekum’s workshop for repairs, but there was no proof that he participated in or planned any robberies.

Justice Tanoh acknowledged that Agyekum’s case was a “classic case of wrong association.” He said, “It would be difficult for him to explain that he wasn’t part of the gang of the notorious Ataa Ayi if he was often seen entering the convict’s abode,” referring to the saying, “Show me your friend, and I’ll show you your character.” However, the Justice added, “There are good people, and the mechanic was one of such examples.”

The court’s decision highlighted that, while proximity to crime may raise suspicion, it does not automatically equate to guilt without concrete evidence.

Ataa Ayi, a household name in the early 2000s, led a feared armed robbery gang known for carjackings, home invasions, and jewellery thefts. His slipperiness made him something of a myth until his arrest in February 2005. He was later sentenced by an Accra Fast Track High Court to a total of 90 years in prison, 70 years and 20 years in separate robbery cases.

Many associated with him, including Agyekum, were imprisoned. But as of this week, Agyekum’s time in prison has ended with a court ruling that finally clears his name.