A specter haunted Accra in the late 1990s – Ataa Ayi, a name that sent shivers down spines and sparked whispers of legend. Was he a Robin Hood, redistributing wealth to the downtrodden, or a ruthless criminal leaving a trail of stolen goods and shattered lives?

This week on #MayhemPodcast, John-Andrew Addo brings into the spotlight Ataa Ayi and his exploits.

Ataa Ayi's exploits were as audacious as they were diverse. Some claimed he scaled walls like a spider, vanished on motorbikes like a desert mirage, and even melted into the ocean's embrace with his loot. Rumors swirled: a vigilante against the corrupt elite, a phantom redistributing ill-gotten gains. Yet, the cold reality of armed robberies and shattered lives painted a different picture.

The police were left chasing shadows, Ataa Ayi always one step ahead. His capture in 2005 and subsequent 160-year sentence brought a complex figure to light. He was a criminal, yes, but the allure of the Robin Hood myth persists.

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