What began as a cry for help from a young girl has led to the arrest of a pastor in Cape Coast, following a joint security operation targeting crimes against children.
Authorities say the case highlights the growing threat of online child exploitation and the urgent need to protect vulnerable children both offline and in the digital space.
In the quiet community of Woraba, Cape Coast, a disturbing case has sparked concern about the safety of children and the abuse of trust.
The Ghana Police Service, working with the Cyber Security Authority and National Security, has arrested a pastor accused of serious offences involving a minor.
The suspect, Ebenezer Conduah, a 45-year-old pastor with the Mahanaim Christian Centre in Ankaful, was apprehended during an intelligence-led operation on March 6.
Investigators say the case dates back to 2021, when a survivor, then a 13-year-old student, was taken into the suspect’s home under the pretext of spiritual counselling.
The alleged abuse later came to light when the girl confided in her school headmistress, prompting a report to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, DOVVSU, of the police service.
During the operation, investigators retrieved several digital devices from the suspect’s residence, which are now undergoing forensic analysis.
The Police say preliminary examinations uncovered evidence suggesting the production and possession of illegal materials involving the minor.
The suspect has already been facing charges, including defilement and child-related offences and was re-arraigned before the Cape Coast Circuit Court on additional counts linked to the possession of indecent images of a child under the Cybersecurity Act 2020 (Act 1038).
He has been remanded into prison custody and is expected to reappear in court on March 27.
Security agencies say the case reflects their growing collaboration to tackle online child sexual exploitation, which experts describe as one of the most serious threats facing children in the digital age.
Pastor Ebenezer Conduah is currently in the Nsawam Prison custody pending his next appearance in court.
Watch video COP LYDIA YAAKOR DONKOR, Director General, Police CID
By paqmediagh/Peter Quao Adattor
