Saddick Adams, a veteran sports journalist and broadcaster with Angel TV, has fumed at Ghanaians showing sympathy for notorious criminal Ataa Ayi.
The veteran journalist noted that collective amnesia is real and quizzed how, in 2025, some Ghanaians still have sympathy for Ataa Ayi.
According to Saddick Adams, when Ataa Ayi was arrested in 2005, it was almost unanimous that the judge who sits on his case would send him to the firing squad.
He noted that Ataa Ayi’s 70-year jail sentence was valid in law.
In a post on X, SaddicK Adams wrote, “Collective amnesia is real. In 2025, there’s sympathy in some quarters for Ataa Ayi that 70 years seems too harsh for the most notorious armed robber the nation has ever known. Because the judge who pronounced sentence [which was valid in law] claims he was influenced by fear for his own life”.
He added, “In 2005, when he was arrested, it was almost unanimous that the judge who sits on his case should send him to the firing squad”.
His comments following the debate on social media after Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie justified his reasoning behind sentencing notorious armed robber Atta Ayi to 70 years in prison.
According to Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the lengthy sentence for Atta Ayi was to protect his family.
He explained that if he had given Ataa Ayi 30 years, when he came back, his family would be the first the notorious armed robber would have attacked.
Speaking during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, November 10, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained, “I gave him 70 years. And what I told myself was that if Ataa Ayi was given 30 years and he comes back, my family would be the first he would attack. By the time he comes back after 70 years, I will be dead and gone,” he said.
Ataa Ayi was labelled as Ghana’s most notorious criminal at the time, with a bounty placed on him.
He masterminded numerous armed robberies, stealing money, cars, jewellery, and other valuables and also shot victims.
The Police, led by ACP Kofi Boakye, managed to arrest some members of his gang after fierce gun battles that left others dead.
Ataa Ayi was later convicted on multiple counts and jailed in 2005.
According to reports, Atta Ayi has now been described as a changed man.
See the post below:
Collective amnesia is real. In 2025 there’s sympathy in some quarters for Ataa Ayi that 70 years seems too harsh for the most notorious armed robber the nation has ever known. Because judge who pronounced sentence [which was valid in law] claims he was influenced by fear for his…
— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) November 11, 2025