US Embassy Worker Sentenced for Heinous Crimes Abroad

A Maryland man, Fode Sitafa Mara, was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting two girls while working at the US Embassy in Burkina Faso. Convicted of multiple charges, including aggravated sexual abuse, Mara plans to appeal. The case highlights the US's efforts against child exploitation.

A Maryland resident who worked at the US Embassy in Burkina Faso has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting two girls, according to federal prosecutors. Fode Sitafa Mara, aged 41, faced a federal jury conviction last year, which included four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, alongside charges of attempted coercion, enticement of a minor, and attempted obstruction of justice.

Defense lawyer Robert C. Bonsib stated that Mara has maintained his innocence throughout the trial and plans for an appeal. As a US citizen, Mara was employed at the embassy in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. During the trial, evidence surfaced showing Mara had raped two teenage girls in 2022 and 2023 at his residence provided by the embassy.

The US attorney's office highlighted that Mara exploited the girls' impoverished situation and their mother's critical illness to coerce them. He supplied them with phones for communication while his wife was away. Under Project Safe Childhood, a US initiative against child sexual exploitation, the case proceeded because the residence was designated for diplomatic use.

(With inputs from agencies.)