Lawyer for some alleged victims in the Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) sexual abuse case, Isaac Ofori Mensah, has alleged that some of the students are being intimidated and pressured to withdraw their complaints.
He said individuals claiming to represent the school’s interdicted headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, had approached some of the students and their families in an attempt to persuade them to discontinue the matter.
“The truth of the matter is that any of the girls who tries to speak up on the matter will find some people approaching them to withdraw. The girl who withdrew her complaint was spoken to at home to discontinue the issue,” he said in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen.
Mr Ofori Mensah said he could not confirm whether the headmaster had personally instructed anyone to approach the students, but noted that some of those involved had allegedly claimed they were acting on his behalf to settle the matter.
He called for a thorough investigation into the alleged intimidation, stressing that all aspects of the case must be examined to ensure justice for the students.
The lawyer also questioned what he described as delays in the handling of the case involving the headmaster, particularly after the police reportedly arrested him on August 5 and subsequently granted him bail.
He contrasted the treatment of the headmaster with that of other teachers and students who were arrested in connection with the matter and allegedly spent weeks in custody before being granted bail.
Mr Ofori Mensah expressed concern that the case had been referred to the Attorney-General’s Department for advice, arguing that the process appeared to be moving differently from the handling of the other suspects.
“My problem is why the docket will be sent to the Attorney-General for advice. It is selective justice because the other teachers were remanded for two weeks before being granted bail, but when it comes to the headmaster, who has been accused of rape and sexual harassment, the case is stalling,” he said.
He further questioned reports that the headmaster had been unwell while allegedly being able to travel to Kumasi to interrogate some of those in custody.
Mr Ofori Mensah said public attention generated by an investigative documentary by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni had helped keep the allegations in the spotlight, warning that the matter might otherwise have faded from public discussion.
He insisted that the allegations had been under consideration for some time and urged the relevant authorities to move the case forward in accordance with the law.
The lawyer also addressed reports that one of the students and her family had withdrawn their complaint during police investigations.
He said a second student, who was in Tarkwa at the time, had been invited by the police after being mentioned by the first student.
However, when the second student arrived, investigators were informed that the first student had withdrawn her complaint.
“When the second student came, the first told us she had withdrawn her case. The witness also later alleged that the headmaster touched her inappropriately,” he said.
The allegations against Mr Abdulai include claims of rape and sexual harassment involving female students. The claims remain subject to investigation.
Mr Ofori Mensah said he hoped the law would take its course and called on the authorities to ensure that the case was handled fairly and without undue delay.
