Obuasi SHTS sexual abuse probe 85% complete; evidence points to prosecution – Education Minister

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, says investigations into the sexual abuse allegations involving female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) are 85 per cent complete, with evidence gathered so far pointing to a prima facie case for prosecution.

He said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service was handling the criminal aspects of the case, while a committee established by the government on October 14 was nearing the completion of its investigations.

Mr Iddrisu disclosed this when he addressed Parliament on Tuesday, November 10, after appearing before the joint parliamentary committees on Human Rights, Gender and Education to brief them on developments in the case.

“Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to note and report that the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Service is dealing with the criminal aspects of it, which has to do with sexual assault against some students at Obuasi Technical,” he told the House.

He added that the committee established on October 14 had made significant progress and that the evidence gathered could support prosecution.

“Mr Speaker, I'm happy to know that a committee we put together on the 14th of October is 85% complete with its investigation, and the weight of evidence suggests that a court would have considered the matter that a prima facie case is established against for purposes of prosecution that we expect to start shortly,” he said.

The Minister's update comes amid growing public concern over allegations of sexual abuse involving the school's headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, and female students.

The allegations gained national attention following a JoyNews investigation by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, titled Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow, which detailed claims of sexual harassment, assault and rape involving students.

The investigation reported that complaints had been made to school management and education officials months before the headmaster was interdicted. '

It also cited accounts from students, parents and teachers who said concerns about the alleged abuse had not received adequate attention.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) subsequently interdicted Mr Abdulai on October 14 to facilitate investigations, while the Education Minister referred the criminal aspects of the allegations to the police.

The case has also attracted scrutiny over the handling of earlier complaints. A committee that investigated disturbances at the school in August 2026 reported that the sexual harassment allegations presented to it were not substantiated by the evidence available at the time.

However, that inquiry was separate from the fresh investigations initiated after the JoyNews exposé.

The police have also investigated a rape complaint filed by a student on August 4, 2026, and forwarded the case docket to the Attorney-General for study and advice.

Police clarified that the docket concerned that particular complaint, while other allegations would require separate investigations.