The Ghana Police Service has arrested three Ghanaians over their alleged involvement in the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material following a joint international investigation involving the Australian Federal Police and Interpol.
The arrests are linked to an ongoing child exploitation case involving an Australian suspect currently standing trial in Australia.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, May 12, Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, said the suspects were arrested for allegedly taking, producing, publishing and processing indecent images and videos involving children.
According to her, Interpol Accra received intelligence in January 2026 from Interpol Canberra and the Crimes Against Children Unit of the Interpol General Secretariat concerning a child exploitation case connected to Ghana.
She explained that intelligence shared by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation Victim Identification Team revealed that an Australian suspect arrested in 2025 had allegedly received child sexual exploitation material from individuals based in Ghana.
The CID boss further disclosed that investigators established that the Australian suspect transferred money to facilitators in Ghana in exchange for exploitative material involving children.
“The Australian authorities subsequently requested assistance from the Ghana Police Service to rescue the victims and arrest the suspects,” she stated.
Further investigations by Interpol Accra, together with the Child Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Units under the supervision of the CID Headquarters, led to the arrest of two suspects in the Ashanti Region and the rescue of two children aged between seven and 13 years.
Police later arrested a third suspect in the Bono Region, where two more victims aged six and seven years were rescued.
All three suspects remain in police custody assisting with investigations, while the rescued children are currently receiving care from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in their respective regions.
The Abuse Relief Corps, a non-governmental organisation, is also supporting DOVVSU with counselling and other care services for the children.
Commissioner Donkor disclosed that preliminary investigations suggest some of the suspects are close relatives of the victims, including an older brother and a mother responsible for the children’s care.
She described child sexual abuse as a serious criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 penalty units, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both.
She also warned that cyber-enabled child exploitation crimes are increasing due to the ease with which offenders commit such crimes, the difficulty in detecting them, and the financial gains involved.
The CID Director-General assured the public that the Ghana Police Service is strengthening collaboration with international partners and stakeholders to tackle child exploitation and abuse.
She also announced plans for a nationwide sensitisation campaign and the establishment of more cybercrime and child protection units across the country.
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