“I jailed Ataa Ayi 70 years so that by the time he returns, I’ll be dead and gone” — Chief Justice nominee Paul Baffoe-Bonnie
Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has offered a rare, candid explanation of the 70-year sentence he handed to notorious armed robber Ayi Ayeetey, popularly known as Ataa Ayi, nearly two decades ago.
Speaking before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, November 10, 2025, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie recounted the high-profile case from what he called his “youthful days” on the bench. He said that although judges operate within established sentencing guidelines, certain cases demand stronger discretionary action to protect the public.
“The judges and magistrates are trained; they have sentencing guidelines,” he told the committee. “But sometimes they have to go beyond them. In my youthful days, I gave somebody 70 years — Ataa Ayi.”
What followed was a disarmingly frank explanation.
“I gave him 70 years, and what I told myself was that if Ataa Ayi was given 30 years and he came back, my family would be the first he would attack. So by the time he comes back after 70 years, I’ll be dead and gone,” he said, triggering laughter in the room.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie noted that sentencing is never a mechanical process, but a balancing act between justice, deterrence, and public safety, especially when dealing with a criminal whose operations once terrorised an entire region.
Ataa Ayi: The man behind the legend
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ataa Ayi earned a reputation as Ghana’s most feared criminal, leading a gang responsible for a string of violent robberies across Accra and its surrounding areas. His operations became so notorious that police mounted billboards of his face across several regions in a nationwide manhunt.
He was eventually arrested in 2005 at Teshie Tsui Bleo, along with his girlfriend who was suspected of aiding him. His trial resulted in a 70-year sentence after multiple convictions for armed robbery and related charges.
The case marked one of Ghana’s biggest breakthroughs in the fight against violent crime.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s remarks now shed new light on the judicial thinking behind that historic sentence — a decision he still stands by, both as a safeguard for society and, as he joked, for his own peace of mind.
