‘Obuasi SHTS alleged sexual abuse will not be swept under the carpet’ – Muntaka assures 

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, has assured Ghanaians that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) will thoroughly investigate the alleged sexual abuse involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai.

He said the case had been transferred from the regional level to the police headquarters in Accra to ensure that it was handled appropriately.

Mr Muntaka gave the assurance when he appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, October 20, saying he had confidence in the CID Director-General, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, to handle the matter professionally.

“Knowing the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department, COP Lydia, I can vouch with my life she will not compromise anything on this,” he said.

“I have absolute trust in her that this matter will not be swept under the carpet. The trial will run its full length, and it will be dealt with in accordance with law,” he stressed.

The minister disclosed that the suspect had been arrested and had given a statement to the police as investigations continued.

He also said investigators are working to obtain a court order to conduct DNA testing as part of the process, stressing that the police had to comply with the country’s legal requirements.

Muntaka urged the public to allow the investigation to proceed, noting that the suspect was entitled to due process and could not be considered guilty unless proven so in accordance with the law.

The case follows an investigation by JoyNews and investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which brought allegations of sexual abuse involving female students of the school to public attention.

The investigation also raised concerns about how some authorities initially decided to cover up the matter.

Following the reports, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to suspend Mr Abdulai and requested that the CID headquarters investigate the allegations.

The headmaster was subsequently interdicted pending the outcome of the investigations.