Appeals Court has acquitted and discharged Yaw Asante Ageykum, a wrongfully convicted mechanic jailed in 2002 for his alleged association with notorious armed robber Ataa Ayi.
In a judgment today (June 5, 2025), a three-member panel at the Court of Appeal, which had Justice Janapare A. Bartels-Kodwo, as its President, held that Agyekum, who was convicted 23 years ago, could not be linked to the many robberies carried out by Ataa Ayi.
The court was of the opinion that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to warrant conviction and sentence of Yaw Asante.
Against this backdrop, the court acquitted and discharged him after eight years of legal battle through his counsel, George Bernard Shaw.
Speaking to the media after he had his freedom, Yaw Asante said, he felt happy and said the court was fair.
Unfortunately, Yaw Asante had already served 23 years of the 35-year sentence handed him by the High Court which sentenced Ataa Ayi to 70 years and 20 years in separate cases of armed robberies.
The three-member panel were Justices Janapare A. Bartels-Kodwo, Aboagye Tandoh, and Stephen Oppong.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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