87-year-old man jailed 20 years for defiling 9-year-old girl at Ofankor

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.

According to a statement from the Police, preliminary investigations indicated that on August 29, 2026, the complainant returned from work and noticed bloodstains on her nine-year-old daughter’s clothing.

When questioned, the child disclosed that Gahornu had allegedly subjected her to repeated sexual abuse between July and August 2026, involving both vaginal and anal penetration.

Further investigations revealed that the accused had allegedly lured the child to his sleeping quarters and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the abuse to her mother.

The alleged abuse was reportedly witnessed by the accused’s granddaughter on August 31, 2026. She subsequently informed family members, including the complainant, after which the matter was reported to the Police.

Gahornu was subsequently 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 reiterated its commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable persons.

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