After spending 23 years behind bars for a crime he insists he didn’t commit, Yaw Asante Agyekum, once known only as the mechanic linked to Ghana’s most notorious armed robber, Ataa Ayi is finally free.
And now, he’s rebuilding his life with the help of unexpected allies and a wave of public support.
Yaw’s story took a dramatic turn on June 5, 2025, when the Court of Appeal in Accra acquitted and discharged him.
Convicted in 2002 for conspiracy to commit robbery, he had always maintained his innocence, claiming he was merely a mechanic and unaware of Ataa Ayi’s criminal activities. The court agreed, citing a lack of evidence and the fact that Yaw had no legal representation during his original trial.
Since his release, Yaw has been embraced by a community eager to help him start over. Leading the charge is celebrated media personality Nana Aba Anamoah, who not only interviewed him but also took him out for a celebratory hangout at El Padrino Lounge in Accra.
During their time together, Yaw shared how deeply grateful he is for the support he’s received—from cash donations to a brand-new Suzuki Alto gifted by a benevolent donor.
One friend reportedly spent GH¢2,000 on new clothes for him, while another, named Paul, drove all the way from Tema to donate GH¢10,000 toward reviving Yaw’s mechanic shop.
Nana Aba has since called on the public to continue supporting Yaw’s reintegration and even extended her advocacy to inmates still in Nsawam Prison, urging donations of food and medical supplies.
Yaw’s daughter, who was just a month old when he was arrested, now gets to know her father outside prison walls. For Yaw, every moment of freedom is a reminder of what was lost—and what can still be reclaimed.
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