Zakaria Abdulai granted self-recognisance bail in Obuasi SHTS rape case

Zakaria Abdulai, the suspended headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), has been granted self-recognisance bail after being cautioned by the police over allegations of sexual assault and rape. The arrest follows an intensive investigation into claims of misconduct involving several students at the institution. During a committee session, Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak confirmed the arrest and noted that DNA evidence is currently being processed as part of the ongoing criminal inquiry.

The allegations against Abdulai surfaced following a report by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which suggested that as many as 19 female students had come forward with accounts of sexual abuse. In response to the growing scandal, the Ghana Education Service (GES) interdicted the headmaster to facilitate a full investigation. The case has since been forwarded to the Attorney General’s office for further legal advice and prosecution.

Abdulai has maintained his innocence, asserting that he is the victim of a conspiracy designed to destroy his career. He has specifically challenged the profile of his primary accuser, claiming she is a 20- or 21-year-old woman with a child rather than a minor. To clear his name, the suspended headmaster has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Multimedia Group and Manasseh Azure Awuni, stating that his account of the events will provide a different perspective when presented in court.

The controversy has already impacted Abdulai’s broader activities, including his withdrawal from a National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency chairmanship race. As the public awaits the scheduling of a court date, the case has sparked renewed calls for stricter accountability and improved safeguarding measures within the Ghanaian education system. Forensic results and the Attorney General's subsequent directives are expected to determine the next phase of the legal proceedings.