An 87-year-old man, Yaw Gahornu, has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a nine-year-old girl at Ofankor, a suburb of Accra.
The Ghana Police Service, in a press release issued on Monday, October 12, 2026, said the Tesano Divisional Police Command secured the conviction following investigations into the alleged abuse.
According to the Police, preliminary investigations revealed that on August 29, 2026, the victim’s mother returned from work and noticed bloodstains on her daughter’s clothing.
The child subsequently disclosed that Gahornu had allegedly subjected her to repeated sexual abuse involving vaginal and anal penetration between July and August 2026.
Further investigations indicated that the accused allegedly lured the girl to his sleeping quarters and threatened to kill her if she reported the abuse to her mother.
The Police said the alleged abuse was witnessed by the accused’s granddaughter on August 31, 2026. She subsequently informed family members, including the victim’s mother, leading to a report being made to the Police.
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Gahornu was subsequently charged and arraigned before the Gender-Based Violence Court at the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVSU) Headquarters.
He was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for the offence of defilement.
The Accra Regional Police Command welcomed the outcome of the case and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable persons.
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The Command also urged the public to promptly report suspected cases of child abuse to the Police for investigation and appropriate action.
