Man, 87, jailed for 20 years for defiling nine-year-old
Police say the man threatened to kill the child if she disclosed the abuse. He was convicted by the Gender-Based Violence Court after the case was reported to the Tesano Divisional Police Command.
An 87-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labour for defiling a nine-year-old girl at Ofankor in Accra, police have said.
Yaw Gahornu was convicted by the Gender-Based Violence Court at the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) headquarters, according to a police statement dated 12 October 2026.
The case followed a report to the Tesano Divisional Police Command after family members were alerted to the abuse.
Police said the child’s mother became concerned on 29 August after returning from work and noticing bloodstains on her daughter’s clothing.
When questioned, the girl disclosed that Gahornu had repeatedly sexually abused her between July and August, according to the statement.
Investigators said he had lured the child to his sleeping quarters and threatened to kill her if she told her mother.
Police said a witness subsequently alerted family members after witnessing abuse on August 31. The matter was then reported to the police.
Gahornu was charged and brought before the court, where he was found guilty of defilement and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
The statement did not specify the date of the conviction or provide details of his plea or the court’s reasoning.
The Accra Regional Police Command welcomed the outcome and urged the public to report suspected child abuse promptly so that cases could be investigated.
It also reiterated its commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable people.
The statement was signed by Chief Superintendent Juliana Obeng, head of public affairs for the Accra Region.
Read the full statement below