Yaw Asante Agyekum spent more than 20 years in jail after being wrongfully convicted.
Yaw Asante Agyekum, a motorbike mechanic who was wrongfully arrested in connection with one of Ghana’s most notorious criminals, has shared a harrowing account of his experience.
He recalled how what was meant to be a simple visit to his mother at Kwahu Mpraeso in 2002 turned into a life-altering nightmare.
In a deeply emotional interview on The Nana Aba Series on YouTube, Yaw recounted the moment his life changed forever.
He said he had gone to church at Kwahu when two police officers sat beside him and asked if he was “Akpo,” the mechanic who serviced motorbikes at Korle Wokon in Accra.
“They asked if I was the one called Akpo and whether I serviced motorbikes at Korle Wonko. One of them even said, ‘I hear you’re good at your work.’ As I tried to pull out my Sony Ericsson phone, they arrested me,” narrated.
The officers accused him of being connected to Atta Ayi, the notorious armed robber who dominated headlines in the early 2000s.
Yaw said he told them he knew Atta Ayi as a taxi driver who often brought him motorbikes to service, but insisted he had no idea the man was a criminal.
Despite his explanations, Yaw was arrested and subjected to one of the most humiliating moments of his life.
“They made me walk in handcuffs from Kwahu Mpraeso to Nkawkaw, with their car following me. They were driving a Tundra, playing reggae music while I walked the entire way on foot,” he added.
Once at Nkawkaw, Yaw was locked up, as the officers left for Kumasi.
His arrest didn’t end there. The police later picked up his aunt and sister, sending them to WAJU (Women and Juvenile Unit, now DOVVSU), believing they might also be connected to the case.
He further revealed how the police dressed him up for photos with weapons and then placed herbs around his neck, taking pictures that terrified his family.
“I’ve never held a gun in my life. But they took pictures of me with guns placed in front of me and charms around my neck. When my family saw the photos, they were terrified. The only thing I had on me that day was my motor key,” he recalled.
According to Yaw, one of Atta Ayi’s associates, Nana Yaw — whom he also worked for, implicated him when he was arrested.
His testimony led to Yaw being remanded and eventually jailed.
When Atta Ayi was finally caught and brought into custody, Yaw said he refused to speak to him, possibly believing he had been betrayed.
On Wednesday, June 5, 2025, the Court of Appeal finally overturned Yaw’s conviction. A panel of three judges unanimously ruled that the evidence used to convict him was purely circumstantial and inadequate.
Yaw’s story has sparked conversations on the dangers of mistaken identity, police excesses, and the long-lasting impact of wrongful arrests.
Watch the video below:
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