Obuasi:Allegations of sexual assault have surfaced against Zakaria Abdulai, the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), prompting questions about a previous investigation's thoroughness. An account of the proceedings revealed that Abdulai acknowledged meeting a female student on the day she reported being assaulted and giving her GHS100.
According to Ghana Web, the student, referred to as Victim A, claimed the incident occurred on July 25, 2026, at Abdulai's bungalow. While Abdulai admitted to meeting the student, he denied the rape allegation, offering a different narrative for their interaction.
The revelations have led to increased scrutiny of the committee that was set up to investigate disturbances at the school in August. Concerns have been raised about whether the committee sufficiently addressed allegations of sexual misconduct.
Victim A reported that she had gone to collect clothes from a lawn near the headmaster's bungalow when the incident allegedly happened. Abdulai's testimony indicated that he called the student over to discuss an earlier incident where she had been beaten by a teacher. He denied any wrongdoing.
A key point of contention is the GHS100 note the student presented, claiming it was given to her by Abdulai to keep quiet. Abdulai confirmed giving her the money but attributed it to her financial difficulties. The circumstances of the payment remain disputed.
Furthermore, the student presented shorts allegedly stained with the headmaster's semen. However, the account did not clarify whether forensic tests were conducted on the clothing.
Abdulai reportedly admitted to keeping various oils in his room, which some female students claimed he used to coerce them into inappropriate acts. He attributed the oils to his part-time work with a herbal medicine company, and the allegations require further investigation.
The committee's mandate has been questioned as it reportedly did not explicitly include sexual assault within its scope, despite the issue emerging during the inquiry. This has led to calls for a review of the roles played by local education authorities in handling previous complaints.
The Ghana Education Service has since interdicted Abdulai pending a comprehensive investigation. The Education Ministry has also suspended him and requested police involvement. It is crucial to distinguish the committee's findings on school disturbances from the ongoing investigation into sexual misconduct.
The main issues remain whether the allegations can be substantiated, if previous complaints were handled appropriately, and whether officials met their safeguarding obligations. The school community seeks a credible investigation that ensures accountability and justice.
Source Ghana Web