87-Year-Old Yaw Gahornu Sentenced for Child Abuse

Yaw Gahornu, an 87-year-old man, has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl in Ofankor, a suburb of Accra, Ghana. The Gender-Based Violence Court convicted Gahornu following investigations by the Tesano Divisional Police Command.

The case was reported on August 29, 2026, after the girl's mother found bloodstains on her daughter's clothing. The child disclosed that Gahornu had repeatedly sexually abused her between July and August.

Investigators revealed that Gahornu allegedly lured the girl to his sleeping quarters and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the abuse. The abuse was reportedly witnessed by Gahornu’s granddaughter on August 31, who informed family members, including the victim’s mother.

This led to a police report, Gahornu's arrest, and subsequent prosecution. The court found him guilty and sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

The Accra Regional Police Command welcomed the conviction as part of efforts to protect vulnerable members of society.