A 29-year-old tricycle rider, Naah Mashood, has been sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a three-year-old girl at Tiegber in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region.

The Upper West Regional Police Command announced the conviction in a press release dated 2nd November 2026.

According to the police, Mashood was arrested on 24 February 2026 by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Upper West Regional Command following a complaint from the victim’s mother.

The statement detailed how the convict, who had been contracted by the parent to pick the child from school, lured the girl to an isolated location on 23 February 2026 and sexually assaulted her inside his tricycle (Cambuu).

"After painstaking investigation, the convict was arraigned before the Wa District Magistrate Court and, upon conviction, he subsequently stood trial at the Wa High Court,” the police said. “After full trial, the accused was found guilty of the offence of defilement, and on 30th October 2026, His Lordship Justice Osei-Wusu sentenced him to fourteen (14) years imprisonment In Hard Labour.”

The Regional Command commended the officers involved in the investigation and prosecution, as well as all persons who contributed to ensuring that justice was served.

It urged parents and guardians to keep a close eye on their children and ensure their safety at all times. Members of the public were also encouraged to report suspected cases of child abuse and defilement to the nearest police station or DOVVSU office for prompt action.

“The Command assures the public of its commitment to protecting children and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual offences are brought to justice,” the statement signed by Francis Yinhoare, DCOP, Regional Police Commander/UWR, added.

The case underscores the police’s continued efforts to tackle child sexual abuse in the region.

Read the statement



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