Manasseh Azure Awuni has challenged claims that the Ashanti Regional office of the Ghana Education Service cleared Zakaria Abdulai, headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, of sexual abuse allegations. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, October 19, the investigative journalist said the regional education authorities lacked the capacity to determine claims involving rape, which require police investigation.
“It’s the biggest insult to the victims and Ghanaians to say that the GES exonerated him,” Azure said. He described the Ghana Education Service as “within the enclave,” responsible for acting when repeated complaints surfaced but apparently did not. The journalist questioned the legitimacy of the committee that reviewed the case, chaired by the Obuasi East Director of Education.
“Which of them on that committee is equipped to investigate rape? This is a police, a criminal matter,” Azure said. He referenced concerns from people in Obuasi who believe school management and regional education officials ignored the allegations. “Obuasi East and Obuasi West are so close. If you go to that enclave, there are people who say that from the school’s management to the regional GES looked away when these things happened,” he added.
The allegations against Abdulai include rape, sexual harassment, and sexual assault involving female students at Obuasi SHTS. Azure’s documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow, examines these claims. The film has drawn public attention and intensified calls for the protection of students from intimidation and for independent investigations.
A GES administrative inquiry and a police criminal investigation have different functions. Establishing criminal responsibility requires a legal process through the criminal justice system. The claims against Abdulai remain allegations and must be proven through a fair and credible investigation.
The Ghana Education Service has not publicly detailed the outcome of its inquiry. The regional office reportedly announced that Abdulai had been cleared, but Azure’s comments dispute that narrative. The journalist’s insistence on police involvement raises questions about the adequacy and transparency of the education authorities’ handling of the case.
The issue has sparked wider debate on how schools manage sexual abuse complaints, the protection available for students who report misconduct, and the accountability of education officials when allegations arise. The focus now is on whether law enforcement agencies will launch a criminal investigation to address the claims.
The accusations against a headmaster at a prominent Ghanaian school have stirred unease among local communities and the national education sector. The ongoing dispute over the GES’s role in resolving such complaints reveals tensions between administrative processes and criminal justice demands.
According to Joy Online.
