NewsObuasi SHTS headmaster case: the key dates so far
The headmaster has been suspended, interdicted and referred to the police over allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. He is also suing the journalist who investigated him.
Zakaria Abdulai, headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, is at the centre of allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students, first reported by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni. He denies the allegations. No court has ruled on them. Here is what has happened, in order.
Timeline
May 2023: the first reports accusing the headmaster of sexually harassing students are published by the Multimedia Group. These are the reports he is now suing over.
5 August 2026: students riot on campus. The headmaster is attacked and injured, his bungalow and a vehicle are destroyed, and six students are arrested.
August 2026: a Ghana Education Service regional committee looks into the riot and the allegations. A list of 16 students is drawn up and all are invited; four appear. The committee says the abuse allegations were "not substantiated" and recommends reposting the headmaster "in the interest of the service".
During the investigation: as Manasseh Azure's reporting went on, the number of students making allegations grows from five to 19.
13 October: Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu orders the headmaster's suspension and refers the matter to the police CID.
14 October: the GES interdicts him. The Ashanti Regional and Obuasi East education directors are asked to step aside. The NDC, where he is a constituency secretary, directs him to step aside from the race for Juaben constituency chairman.
16 October: he files a ₵2 million defamation suit at the High Court in Accra against Manasseh Azure Awuni and the Multimedia Group over the May 2023 reports. It is the 12th defamation suit against the journalist since 2015.
19 October: the full documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow, premieres on JoyNews' YouTube channel.
Since then: the headmaster says police cautioned him and granted him self-recognisance bail. The docket has been sent to the Attorney-General. The GES Director-General says "nobody has been cleared", contradicting claims that the August committee exonerated him. An interim headmaster has been appointed as the school prepares to reopen, and a parliamentary committee has called for a thorough investigation.
QMS News does not name or show the students involved. We will update this story as the case moves.
- GhanaWeb and Asaase Radio: headmaster sues Manasseh Azure Awuni and Multimedia Group
- Graphic Online and MyJoyOnline: GES recommends reposting after August riot
- MyJoyOnline and The Ghana Report: August GES inquiry finds allegations "not substantiated"
- GhanaWeb: more students come forward as number reaches 19
- Citi Newsroom: Education Minister orders suspension
- The Ghana Report: GES interdicts headmaster
- Modern Ghana and Yen: education directors asked to step aside
- MyJoyOnline and Yen: NDC directs headmaster to step aside from Juaben race
- Adom Online: "Nobody has been cleared", GES Director-General
- JoyNews: Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow (documentary)
- MyJoyOnline and 3News: Parliament committee demands investigation
Every factual line in this story is checked against at least two independent sources, unless the text says it comes from one report.