An emotional account of the trauma he experienced during his wrongful imprisonment was shared by Yaw Asante Agyekum, a Ghanaian mechanic who was wrongfully convicted of being an accomplice of the notorious armed robber Ataa Ayi.
Mr. Agyekum discussed the upsetting circumstances that led to his arrest and subsequent sentencing in an interview that Pulse Ghana cited.
He recalled a particular incident that he still vividly remembers: the cruel treatment he endured while being arrested, which included a protracted, coerced walk in chains.
”I was in church with my sick mother in Kwahi when two policemen came. In a conversation, the police said I’m really good at the fitting work I do. I was using a Sony Ericsson phone, and in an attempt to remove my phone from the pocket, I was hooked and asked, Where is Ataa Ayi?”
”responded that I don’t know what he’s about. They asked whether I know him, and I responded, Yes, I know him because I’m the one who services his motorcycle for him.”
I never knew he was a criminal. I know him to be a taxi driver, and he sells motorcycles as well. I was then carried away.”
His experience serves as a reminder of the terrible and unfair circumstances that many people who are wrongfully arrested and convicted must endure. It also acts as a painful reminder of the justice system’s shortcomings, which have the power to destroy innocent lives.
“I was made to walk from Mpraeso to Nkawkaw. That’s something I can never forget in my life”
—Mr. Yaw Asante Agyekum, who was wrongly convicted as Ataa Ayi’s accomplice reveals shocking details of his arrest. pic.twitter.com/jseannmRKQ