Two BOGISS watchmen accused of sexually abusing 14-year-old student as family demands justice

Two security watchmen at the Bolgatanga Girls’ Senior High School (BOGISS) in Ghana’s Upper East Region have been referred to the education authorities and reported to the police following allegations that they sexually abused a 14-year-old female student on the school’s campus.

The two men, whose identities have not been made public pending their arrest, are alleged to have had sexual contact with the student on four separate occasions between late June and early July 2026.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the first alleged incident occurred at night shortly after the school’s supervised evening study, commonly known as prep, had ended.

The student was reportedly returning to her dormitory when one of the watchmen approached her and allegedly lured her to an isolated area behind the school’s dining hall, where the alleged abuse occurred.

A few days later, the second watchman is alleged to have had sexual contact with the student at dawn inside the security post at the school’s main gate.

Sources said the student had gone to the post to retrieve a tablet she had left with the watchman to charge the previous night.

The sources further alleged that the two men each abused the student on another occasion at separate locations on the school’s campus in early July, bringing the number of alleged incidents to four.

The student is reported to have autism, a developmental condition that can affect communication, perception and social interaction.

The family has expressed concern that the alleged offenders may have taken advantage of the student’s condition and their positions as adults working within the school environment.

The circumstances surrounding the charging of the student’s tablet have also become part of the concerns raised by the family.

According to school sources, students were expected to pay GH¢30 towards the installation of classroom charging boards. The sources alleged that the absence of sufficient charging points contributed to students taking their tablets to places such as the security post to charge them.

The school’s headmistress, Gifty Ayamba, however, disputed the suggestion that the charging arrangement was compulsory and said the payment was voluntary.

She explained that the school had restricted students from entering teachers’ residences and staff offices after working hours to charge electronic devices, partly because of concerns over missing power banks.

According to her, an electrician quoted about GH¢1,800 for a charging board for each class, with the cost shared among students. She said charging boards had already been installed in classes where students had completed payment.

The school management has since converted the student from a boarder to a temporary day student.

The decision has angered the girl’s family, who believe she should have been supported to remain in the boarding house rather than lose her boarding status following an incident they say was initiated by adult employees of the school.

A family member, Akolbulgo-Zotipelba Ayeo-Duko, confirmed the allegations and criticised the school’s handling of the matter.

He said the family considered the girl’s autism to be mild and believed remaining in school was important for her education, social development and interaction with her peers.

The family is also questioning why the two watchmen have not yet been arrested despite the case having been reported to the police.

Another major concern is a letter the school reportedly sent to the student’s parents in July.

According to the family, the letter described the girl as being “guilty of sexual misconduct” under the Ghana Education Service code of conduct.

The family considers that description inappropriate, arguing that the student is a minor and that the allegations involve adult security personnel who were responsible for safeguarding students on the school premises.

“GES is now doing integration; every child can go to any school,” Ayeo-Duko said. “Children with special needs no longer need to isolate themselves and be in any special school.”

He argued that the student needed protection and support rather than treatment that could further stigmatise her.

“It is hurting for an institution to treat a 14-year-old child this way because they think she thinks differently or is behaving differently due to her medical condition,” he said. “Clearly, these watchmen took unlawful advantage of her medical condition.”

The school’s headmistress, Gifty Ayamba, confirmed that the incident had occurred and said the matter had been reported to the relevant education authorities and the police.

She explained that the student initially reported to the Dean of Discipline that one of the security personnel had had sexual contact with her.

According to the headmistress, the student was given a statement form and subsequently disclosed that another watchman was also involved, although she did not know his name.

Ayamba said the school initiated disciplinary proceedings and that both watchmen admitted to the allegations during questioning before the school’s disciplinary committee.

She said the matter was subsequently referred to the Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Education, then to the Regional Director of Education, and later reported to the police in accordance with the required procedure.

The headmistress said the school’s disciplinary committee considered the circumstances surrounding the case and recommended that the student be converted to a day student rather than dismissed from the school.

She said the decision was informed partly by findings that the two security personnel had allegedly been giving the student food and money and had taken advantage of the situation.

Ayamba also cited concerns about the student’s medication, saying prescribed medication for her condition was not being taken consistently while she remained in the boarding house.

She said converting the student to a day student would enable her family to ensure that the medication was taken as prescribed.

The headmistress added that the student was performing well academically despite her condition.

The school’s action, however, has not resolved the family’s concerns, particularly their demand for accountability for the two watchmen and continued access to education for the girl in an environment where she feels safe and supported.

On Sunday, August 16, 2026, the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service was contacted regarding the family’s concerns.

The unit confirmed that the case had been reported and said efforts were underway to arrest the two watchmen.

The alleged offenders have not been publicly identified, and the allegations against them remain subject to police investigation and due process.

BOGISS, popularly known as “The Lily of the North”, was established in 1956 and is one of the prominent girls’ senior high schools in the Upper East Region.

The identity of the student has been withheld to protect her privacy as a minor and alleged survivor of sexual abuse.

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