The Upper West Regional Police Command has secured the conviction and sentencing of a 42-year-old man for defiling a seven-year-old boy in Wa, following investigations by the Regional Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU).

The convict, Elyasu Kunateh, was arrested on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, after the victim’s mother reported that the incident had occurred three days earlier, on Saturday, January 17, 2026.

Following the report, police immediately launched investigations, referred the child to a medical facility for examination and ensured he received psychosocial support.

The accused was subsequently arraigned before the Wa High Court and remanded into police custody pending trial. After a full hearing on Thursday, July 23, 2026, the court, presided over by His Lordship Justice Osei-Wusu Antwi, found Kunateh guilty of the offence.

He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

The Upper West Regional Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and pledged to continue pursuing all reported cases of child abuse, sexual offences and gender-based violence.

The Command also urged parents, guardians, caregivers and the general public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspected cases of abuse to the nearest police station for swift intervention.