In a landmark decision, the Ghana Appeals Court has acquitted and discharged Yaw Asante Agyekum, a mechanic who was wrongly convicted in 2002 and sentenced to 35 years in prison for his alleged association with notorious armed robber Ataa Ayi. Agyekum had served over 20 years of his sentence before being acquitted.
The court’s decision was based on the argument that there was no concrete evidence linking Agyekum to the robberies. Agyekum’s lawyer, Bernard Kwabena Shaw, contended that the only connection between his client and Ataa Ayi was that some of the bikes used by Ataa Ayi’s gang were repaired in Agyekum’s workshop, and Agyekum’s name was a phone number found on the phones of some gang members.
Agyekum had been sentenced to 35 years in December 2002 and had served over 23 years of his term. The Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit him brings an end to a long-standing case that has sparked debate over the fairness of Ghana’s justice system.
The acquittal is a significant victory for Agyekum, who has maintained his innocence throughout his imprisonment. The case highlights the importance of ensuring that justice is served and that individuals are not wrongly convicted due to circumstantial evidence.