{
  "id": 16321655,
  "title": "Obuasi SHTS sexual abuse: Zakaria Abdulai is a free man now, as I know – Manasseh",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/obuasi-shts-sexual-abuse-zakaria-abdulai-is-a-free-man-now-as-i-know",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T11:07:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/obuasi-shts-sexual-abuse-zakaria-abdulai-is-a-free-man-now-as-i-know-manasseh/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "JoyNews investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni revealed that suspended Obuasi Senior High Technical School headmaster Zakaria Abdulai is presently free, despite sexual abuse allegations against him. Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on October 24, Mr Awuni stated that he was aware the headmaster had not been detained and was free to move around since leaving Obuasi on August 25. He added that Zakaria was understood to be recovering following an alleged attack by students, which prompted his suspension and subsequent police involvement. Mr Awuni also mentioned that the headmaster's father had informed the police about the case, but the girl's father refused to settle the matter privately, leading to Zakaria's arrest and subsequent release on self-recognisance bail. The journalist further noted that the headmaster had recently met with the NDC Functional Executive in Accra while allegations of sexual abuse persisted. The controversy stemmed from a JoyNews investigation titled \"Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow,\" which detailed allegations of sexual abuse involving a 20-year-old student who claimed Mr Abdulai raped her at his official residence on campus on July 25, 2026. According to police, the student reported the incident to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit on August 4, alleging that the headmaster gave her money to remain silent. The allegations are currently under investigation, with the Education Minister directing the Ghana Education Service to suspend the headmaster and referring the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department for further inquiry.",
  "summary": "JoyNews investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni says the suspended headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai, is moving freely despite allegations of sexual abuse involving female students.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}