By Kenneth Appiah Bani
Yaw Asante Agyekum, a 47-year-old mechanic, is now a free man after spending 23 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
On Thursday, June 5, 2025, the Court of Appeal ruled that Agyekum should not have been jailed. He was arrested and sentenced in 2002 along with Ataa Ayi, a well-known armed robber. At that time, Agyekum was 24 years old and was given a 35-year prison sentence for allegedly planning a robbery with Ataa Ayi. Ataa Ayi received a total of 90 years for different robbery cases.
After eight years of fighting the case in court, Agyekum’s lawyer, George Bernard Shaw, finally helped him get justice. A panel of three judges Justice Janapare A. Bartels-Kodwo (the lead judge), Justice Aboagye Tandoh, and Justice Stephen Oppong said there was not enough evidence to prove Agyekum was part of the robberies.
The judges said the original court made a mistake by convicting him. “The evidence was not strong enough to show he was guilty,” they said.
After hearing the news, Agyekum looked happy and relieved. He quietly left the courtroom, finally free after more than two decades in jail. His journey has been long and difficult, but justice has now been done.
Video credit: 3news
