US diplomat gets life in prison for sexually abusing teens in Burkina Faso
A US citizen has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing two teenage girls while working at the American embassy in Burkina Faso.
Fode Sitafa Mara, 41, from Maryland, was convicted in October 2025 following a two-week trial in federal court.
A jury found him guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, along with attempted coercion and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors said the abuse occurred in 2022 and 2023 in Ouagadougou, the capital, at a residence leased for US diplomatic personnel.
Because the property was reserved for official use, it fell under American jurisdiction, allowing US authorities to prosecute.
The victims were 13 and 15 years old when the abuse began and came from a vulnerable background, according to court evidence. Mara exploited their circumstances for about a year, officials said.
He took advantage of the girls’ mother’s life-threatening illness, demanding sex in exchange for help.
He also provided the teens with phones to summon them when his wife was away and sent sexually explicit messages to one victim.
Mara attempted to persuade a housekeeper to mislead investigators, leading to the obstruction conviction.
The case was investigated by US authorities with assistance from Burkina Faso as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative against child sexual exploitation.
“Those who prey on our children will pay a hefty price,” said US Attorney Kelly Hayes. Officials said the life sentence reflects the seriousness of the crimes and the government’s commitment to prosecuting offences committed by Americans abroad.
