The Court of Appeal has acquitted and discharged Yaw Asante Agyekum, who was wrongly sentenced to 35 years in prison in 2010 for conspiracy to commit murder. Apexnewsgh reports
Agyekum had already spent 23 years in jail, serving 15 years of his sentence, before his conviction was not granted legal representation during his trial. The Court of Appeal has now set aside the sentence, citing the prosecution’s failure to provide sufficient evidence to warrant conviction and sentence.
Agyekum was said to be a mechanic of notorious armed robber Atta Ayi, whose crew terrorized the streets of Accra in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Ataa Ayi and his crew were convicted of multiple counts of robbery, and Agyekum was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
However, Agyekum’s lawyers argued on appeal that the prosecution failed to link their client to any of the crimes.
The three-member panel of judges, led by Justice Aboagye Tanoh, Justice Stephen Oppong, and Justice Janapare Bartels Kodwo, agreed with Agyekum’s lawyers and set aside the conviction. The court noted that the prosecution failed to provide enough evidence to warrant conviction and sentence, and therefore, Agyekum’s conviction was unjustified.
Agyekum’s acquittal and discharge bring an end to a long and arduous legal battle. Having spent 23 years in jail, Agyekum will now be freed, and his reputation will be restored.
The court’s decision highlights the importance of ensuring that justice is served, and that individuals are not wrongly convicted and imprisoned.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
