Manasseh Azure Awuni, an award-winning investigative journalist, has disclosed details of an investigation into allegations that 14 female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School were sexually abused by the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai.
The investigative journalist, speaking in an interview on JoyNews on October 13, 2026, described the alleged abuse as disturbing, particularly because several individuals and institutions expected to protect the students were reportedly aware of the complaints but failed to take decisive action for an extended period.
According to Manasseh Azure, the very disturbing aspect of the case is that it wasn’t really hidden, revealing that people in Obuasi, including some stakeholders expected to intervene, knew about the allegations.
Manasseh Azure revealed that the situation had escalated over the past year and a half, despite the apparent awareness of people within the education sector and the political class.
He disclosed that the headmaster has since been interdicted as investigations into the allegations continue.
Providing details of his investigation, Manasseh said the Municipal Education Directorate had received complaints against the headmaster months before the matter gained wider attention.
He disclosed that the Municipal Education Director told him five female students reported to the directorate in March 2026, alleging that they had been sexually assaulted by the headmaster.
However, according to Manasseh, the director explained that he fell ill around that period, resulting in the investigation into the complaints not proceeding.
The journalist further alleged that another incident occurred in June, while a female student reportedly reported being raped by the same headmaster in July.
These incidents, he said, formed part of a series of complaints allegedly raised over an extended period without an adequate response from the relevant authorities.
Manasseh also revealed that teachers responsible for girl-child education and safeguarding at the school had written several letters and petitions concerning the alleged abuse.
The disclosures have raised questions about the handling of safeguarding complaints within the school and the response of education authorities responsible for protecting students.
Manasseh said his investigation suggested that knowledge of the allegations extended beyond individual students to school management, municipal education authorities and other stakeholders.
He explained that he gathered accounts from people occupying different positions within the education sector and the political class, indicating that concerns about the alleged abuse had reportedly been raised through various channels.
The journalist questioned why decisive intervention had not occurred earlier, given the reported complaints and the number of people who allegedly knew about the situation.
His account points to concerns about whether existing reporting and safeguarding procedures were followed and why the complaints did not result in an earlier, effective response.
The allegations have also drawn attention to the responsibility of school authorities and education officials to ensure that students can report abuse safely and receive prompt protection.
Manasseh said the latest allegations were not the first case of alleged sexual misconduct involving a school official at Obuasi Senior High Technical School.
He recalled investigating a similar incident at the same institution in 2018 involving a senior housemaster accused of misconduct involving a student. According to Manasseh, he was later informed that the individual had been dismissed following the incident.
The earlier case, he suggested, provides additional context to the current investigation and raises questions about the effectiveness of measures introduced to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Manasseh further revealed the full documentary detailing the investigation into the allegations against Zakaria Abdulai is scheduled for release next week.
The documentary is expected to provide further details about the reported incidents, the complaints made by students and teachers, and the responses of the individuals and institutions involved.
In related news, video has surfaced of some students at a senior high school (SHS) reportedly confronting a teacher identified as Sir Rey Ray over a suspected sexual misconduct incident involving a female student.
Reports suggest the student confronted the teacher after students allegedly discovered the teacher and the female student inside the laboratory at night.
In the viral video, the teacher appears shocked after being confronted by the students and was seen pleading for mercy.
The female student, meanwhile, is reportedly heard crying following the incident.
However, details surrounding the alleged incident, including the name of the school and the circumstances that led to the students discovering the pair, remain unclear.
Watch the video below:
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