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 sentence was secured by the Tesano Divisional Police Command following investigations into the case, according to a statement issued by the Accra Regional Police Command on October 12, 2026.

The Police said preliminary investigations indicated that on August 29, 2026, the girl’s mother returned from work and noticed bloodstains on her daughter’s clothing.

When questioned, the child disclosed that Mr Gahornu had allegedly subjected her to repeated sexual abuse 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 girl’s mother, leading to a report to the Police.

Mr Gahornu was charged and arraigned before the Gender-Based Violence Court at the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) Headquarters, where he was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for defilement.

The Accra Regional Police Command welcomed the outcome of the case and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable persons.

It urged the public to promptly report suspected cases of child abuse to the Police for investigation and appropriate action.