39-year-old Ghanaian man arrested in UK for soliciting sex from underage girls

A 39-year-old man, Ishmael Mohammed, who identified himself as a Ghanaian, has been arrested by UK authorities for engaging in sexual activities with three underage girls, including two 14-year-olds and a 13-year-old.

In a viral video, some officials, are heard confronting and interrogating Mohammed, who at one point breaks down into tears when confronted with evidence of his engagement with the girls, including soliciting their naked pictures.

"I don't know what to do again; please arrest me," he stated.

GhanaWeb checks show that the video of his arrest was first posted online in February 2024.

While admitting to engaging the girls and travelling for five hours to meet with one of them, Ishmael denied having any ill intent towards the children.

"Why did you arrange to meet her then? Why did you ask for pictures just in her pants? And you were going to buy her a new phone just to have better pictures?" a male interrogator is heard saying.

"So you've asked for indecent images of a child as well," the female official also adds.

Just like Ghana, the legal age for sexual consent in the UK is 16 years. Thus, it is an offence to engage in sex or sexual activity with a child under the age of 16.

Depending on various factors, including the age gap, the punishment for underage sex in the UK ranges up to life imprisonment, as such an act is deemed statutory rape.

In 2023, a 30-year-old Ghanaian man was arrested by UK police for having sexting with a 14-year-old girl and sending her pictures of his penis.

In an interrogation video, the man told police officers that he had only arrived in the UK a month ago.



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