Former US Diplomat Sentenced to Life for Abusing Two Girls in Burkina Faso

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 Former US Diplomat Sentenced to Life for Abusing Two Girls in Burkina Faso
OUAGADOUGOU, February 27, 2026 — A former United States diplomat has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing two teenage girls while stationed in Burkina Faso, according to American authorities.

The convict, Fode Sitafa Mara, 41, of Maryland, was found guilty following a two-week trial in October 2025. A federal jury convicted him on four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, as well as attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted obstruction of justice.
The prosecution, led by the United States Department of Justice, said the offences occurred between 2022 and 2023 while Mara was working at the US embassy in Ouagadougou.

According to court evidence, the abuse took place at a residence leased for official diplomatic personnel. Because the property was designated for US government use, it fell under the jurisdiction of the United States, allowing American courts to prosecute the case despite the crimes occurring abroad.
Prosecutors said the victims, aged 13 and 15 when the abuse began, came from a vulnerable background that Mara exploited over the course of about a year. Authorities revealed that he used the girls’ mother’s life-threatening illness as leverage, demanding sexual acts in exchange for assistance.

Investigators also testified that Mara provided the minors with mobile phones to contact them when his wife was away and sent sexually explicit messages to one of the victims. He was further convicted of attempting to persuade a housekeeper to mislead investigators.
The case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation.
In a statement following the sentencing, US officials described the crimes as “reprehensible,” adding that the life sentence reflected the severity of the offences and underscored Washington’s commitment to prosecuting child abuse committed both domestically and overseas.
The investigation was conducted by US authorities with assistance from officials in Burkina Faso.