Preacher arrested for alleged sexual abuse of minor, sharing explicit content online

A man claiming to be a preacher and self-styled marriage counsellor has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a minor and uploading explicit recordings of the abuse to pornographic websites.

The suspect, identified as Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Conduah, was apprehended by the Cyber Security Authority in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service during an operation in the early hours of Friday, March 6.

The arrest was confirmed by the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, in a Facebook post on Sunday, March 8.

According to the minister, the suspect was taken into custody as the country was preparing to mark the 69th anniversary of Ghana’s independence, following investigations by the Cyber Security Authority into alleged online sexual exploitation involving a minor.

“In the early hours of 6th March, as the nation prepared to celebrate our 69th Independence Day, the hardworking team at the Cyber Security Authority Ghana effected the arrest of one Rev Dr Ebenezer Conduah in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service,” the minister wrote.

Sam George explained that the suspect, who publicly presented himself as a radio-based international marriage counsellor, is facing charges related to child sexual abuse material under Sections 62 and 63 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038).

Preliminary investigations suggest the alleged abuse involved a 17-year-old minor and reportedly continued for approximately four years before the arrest.

Further inquiries by the Cyber Security Authority reportedly uncovered multiple recordings and online postings allegedly made by the suspect on international pornographic platforms.