Raymond Ayee Ayeetey: The man who became the 'poster boy' for armed robbery in Ghana

If you grew up in the 1990s era in Ghana, then names such as Kweku Ninja, Taller, Buokrom Budu, Dr. Berkley and others will obviously bring some nostalgia or evoke fear in you, depending on which side of history you find yourself on.

Among them, however, is one name that most certainly sends shivers down the spine - Raymond Ayee Ayeetey, commonly known as Ataa Ayi.

Ataa Ayi, who was born in Adabraka, a suburb of Accra, became notorious for his involvement in a series of high-profile armed robberies.

According to research, his criminal record dates back to the 1990s after an accident rendered him jobless and in debt.

Desperate for money to support his family, Ataa Ayi teamed up with a gang specialising in car theft and armed robbery during that period.

During their many operations, they targeted bank customers, amassing significant wealth and status through their crimes.

In one of their heists, they were said to have stolen 12 million old cedis, with Ataa Ayi taking home 2.5 million old cedis as his share.

Ataa Ayi and his gang were also said to have conducted their activities with violence and intimidation, leading to a widespread belief that they were being shielded by supernatural protection, as it became difficult for security operatives to apprehend them.

With a growing notoriety, Ataa Ayi’s popularity, coupled with public dismay over his gangs’ activities began to spread fast and his face began to appear on billboards across the country as part of a nationwide manhunt launched against him and his gang, by security authorities.

After hiding in plain sight for a while, Ataa Ayi managed to escape capture at his hideout in the year 2000 while some of his gang members were arrested and killed during a police operation.

However, his downfall came in 2005, when he engaged in a routine altercation at Teshie Nungua, where he was hiding.

He was arrested for assault and the police discovered his true identity during the arrest.

He was sent to trial where he claimed to have been tortured and coerced into making false confessions about his activities.

Ataa Ayi was later found guilty of armed robbery offenses and sentenced to 160 years in prison with labour, where he continues to serve his sentence at the Ankaful Prison in Cape Coast.

While biding his time in prison, Ataa Ayi has somewhat turned his life around as he is said to have embraced Christianity.

He is reported to have become a pastor in the prison, providing counsel to other inmates.

With deep regret from his past actions, Ataa Ayi continues to seek a pardon from the government with the hope that he can continue his ministry upon his release from prison

MA/EK

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