The  Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction of Yaw Asante Agyekum, a former auto mechanic who spent 23 years behind bars in connection with a string of armed robberies that rocked Accra in the early 2000s.

Mr. Agyekum was initially remanded in 2002 and later sentenced in 2010 to 35 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit murder. Prosecutors alleged he was an associate of Charles Ataa Ayi, a notorious criminal figure whose gang carried out violent heists across the capital. Ayi was convicted on multiple counts of robbery and handed a 160-year sentence.

Unlike Ayi, Mr. Agyekum was convicted without the benefit of legal representation. He appealed the verdict, arguing through counsel that there was no direct evidence linking him to the crimes committed by the Ataa Ayi gang.

In a unanimous ruling, a three-judge panel comprising Justices Aboagye Tanoh, Stephen Oppong, and Janapare Bartels Kodwo agreed, stating that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence to justify the conviction and sentence. The panel subsequently acquitted and discharged Mr. Agyekum.

The decision brings an end to more than two decades of incarceration for Mr. Agyekum, who maintained his innocence throughout. The case also underscores broader concerns over access to legal representation and due process within Ghana’s criminal justice system.

Source:TheDotNews