Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has justified the 70-year prison sentence he handed down to Ghana’s infamous armed robber, Ayi Ayeetey, widely known as Atta Ayi, nearly two decades ago.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, November 10, 2025, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie reflected on the case from his “youthful days,” explaining that the decision stemmed from both legal guidelines and personal conviction about public safety.
“The judges and magistrates have sentencing guidelines, but sometimes they must go beyond them,” he told the committee.
“In my youthful days, I gave somebody 70 years — Atta Ayi.”
The nominee noted that while the law provides a framework for sentencing, judicial discretion is crucial when dealing with serious crimes that threaten lives and national security.
“If Atta Ayi had been given 30 years and returned, my family might have been the first he would attack. So I told myself, by the time he comes back after 70 years, I will be gone,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
Background of the Case
Atta Ayi, once dubbed Ghana’s most wanted criminal, was the subject of one of the country’s largest manhunts. The police mounted billboards with his image across five regions before he was eventually captured in Teshie Tsui Bleo, a suburb of Accra.
His girlfriend and accomplice were also arrested during the operation, alongside his deputy, Emmanuel Tetteh (alias Mpata), whose cooperation reportedly helped security officers track him down.
According to the police, Atta Ayi led a notorious robbery gang responsible for a series of violent heists in Accra. The gang targeted wealthy individuals, stealing money, vehicles, jewellery, and other valuables — often at gunpoint. Several victims were reportedly shot after resisting.
In 2005, the Accra Fast Track High Court found him guilty of multiple counts of armed robbery and sentenced him to 70 years in prison.