Ghana police and INTERPOL arrest three suspects for child sexual exploitation

The Ghana Police Service, in collaboration with the Australian Federal Police and INTERPOL, has arrested three Ghanaians for allegedly taking, producing, publishing and processing indecent images, photographs, and videos involving children. 

This is in contravention of Section 62(1)(a), (b), (c), and (d) of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038). 

Commissioner of Police (COP) Lydia Yaako Donkor, Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Accra. 

She explained that in January 2026, INTERPOL Accra received an intelligence report from INTERPOL Canberra, Australia and the Crimes Against Children Unit of the INTERPOL General Secretariat concerning a case of child sexual exploitation. 

The report said the intelligence was shared by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation’s Victim Identification Team. 

Investigations revealed that an Australian offender, who was arrested in 2025 and is currently standing trial in Australia, allegedly received child sexual exploitation material from facilitators based in Ghana. 

Records further indicated that the offender transferred money to the facilitators in Ghana in exchange for child sexual exploitation material involving victims also located in Ghana. 

The Australian authorities subsequently requested the Ghana Police Service to conduct investigations aimed at rescuing the victims and arresting the suspects. 

COP Donkor said further investigations by a team, comprising officers from INTERPOL Accra and the Child Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Unit, under the supervision of the CID, led to the arrest of two suspects and the rescue of two victims aged between seven and 13 years in the Ashanti Region. 

She added that one additional suspect was later arrested in the Bono Region, where two more victims aged six and seven years were rescued. 

“The three suspects are currently in Police custody assisting investigations, while the victims are receiving care from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in their respective regions,” she said. 

“Abuse Relief Corps, a non-governmental organisation, is supporting DOVVSU in providing care and assistance to the victims.” 

COP Donkor reminded the public that child sexual abuse was a criminal offence punishable by a fine of not more than 5,000 penalty units, a term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years, or both. 

She noted that child sexual exploitation crimes were increasing because they were relatively easy to commit, difficult to detect and financially rewarding. 

The CID Director-General disclosed that, in the current case, some of the suspects were close relatives of the victims, including an older brother and a mother, who were expected under the law to protect and care for the children. 

She cautioned the public that the Police Administration was actively collaborating with international partners and stakeholders to combat such crimes, which she said dehumanized victims, damaged their self-esteem and jeopardised their future. 

COP Donkor also expressed appreciation to stakeholders, particularly Abuse Relief Corps and the Australian Federal Police, for supporting investigations and sharing intelligence. 

She announced that the Ghana Police Service would soon roll out a nationwide sensitisation programme and establish additional cybercrime and child protection units across the regions to strengthen the fight against child sexual exploitation and related offences. 

Source: GNA 

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