Imam Ilyasu Kunateh Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Defilement in Ghana's Wa

The Wa High Court in Ghana's Upper West Region sentenced 42‑year‑old self‑styled Imam Ilyasu Kunateh to 10 years of imprisonment with hard labour for the defilement of a 7‑year‑old boy.

The offence took place on 17 January 2026 when Kunateh offered the child a motorcycle ride, transported him to a secluded area behind the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council and sexually assaulted him. The boy testified in‑camera and medical experts confirmed abuse; the court, presided over by Justice Osei Antwi‑Wusu, found the evidence sufficient for conviction.

Prosecutors highlighted the case as part of a wider pattern of child molestation in the Upper West Region and called for stronger child‑protection measures.