Headmaster detained after BBC investigation into alleged sexual abuse of students

ByEndang Nurdin, Rebecca Henschke, BBC Eye Investigations and BBC Indonesia.

Key points

• Central to the BBC Eye investigation were former students Ziadatur Rahmah, known as Zia, and Sukma Rohana Fajar.
• Ahmad Imanuddin Sumar, known to students as Abah, led the Abul Barokat boarding school on the island of Lombok.
• They introduced their own investigation after Zia informed a former classmate, Yusron Azzahidi, that the headteacher had sexually assaulted her when she was 17.
• While he was in Jakarta, by the time Zia confided in Yusron, she was studying in Cairo, Egypt.
• Yusron compiled a seven-page document detailing the allegations, and they offered it to representatives of Nahdlatul Wathan Diniyah Islamiyah (NWDI), the organisation that ran the school.

After a BBC Eye report, a former headmaster of an Islamic boarding school in Indonesia has been named as a suspect in a sexual abuse investigation and detained by police.

Police reopened the case after the BBC World Service made public accusations of sexual abuse against him, and documented how former students had gathered evidence in a bid to bring the allegations to the authorities.

Meanwhile, the story sparked public outrage and led to 12 more former students giving testimony to police. Warning: This story contains details of sexual assault.

Outside the UK, you can watch Catching My Teacher on YouTube, external.

They introduced their own investigation after Zia informed a former classmate, Yusron Azzahidi, that the headteacher had sexually assaulted her when she was 17. The pair had been star pupils at the school.

Yusron suggested they gather evidence to backing Zia's allegation. Speaking to former classmates, they spoke to Sukma. This person alleges that Abah attempted to rape her at the school.

Thinking the school would backing them, the students say that instead, they were pressured to withdraw their accusations.

In a secretly recorded phone call, Abah pleaded with Yusron to protect him and his reputation.

"Cover the shame of your teacher. Everyone makes mistakes, my child, " Abah remarked.

Abah additionally contacted Zia. This person secretly recorded their conversation and shared it with the BBC.

In the recording, Abah is heard apologising, but pleads with her to remain silent.

After the BBC investigation, Abah held a news conference where he denied all the allegations. He did not deny that the voice heard in the recorded calls was his, but remarked the recordings were not confessions.

Sukma informed the BBC she had been forced to sign a document saying her allegations were lies. She afterwards secretly recorded a conversation with Abah's wife, known to students as Umi. In the recording, Umi tells Sukma that the document was intended to protect "her good name".

Notably, the former students eventually resumed their efforts to seek justice, with backing from lawyer Joko Jumadi. This person has experience in similar cases. More students come forward.

Notably, the day after the BBC investigation was published, parents arrived at the school to collect their children, with some travelling from other islands.

One mother remarked she had begun crying when she heard the news, thinking concerning her daughter.

"I'm moving her right now, " she remarked. "I absolutely want my child to leave this school."

Yusron remarked he and Zia. This person lately obtained married, were overwhelmed by the response from former students.

"It was beyond what we expected, " he remarked. "So plenty of residents contacted us – on Instagram, WhatsApp. They contacted me and Zia directly, and lots of them were saying, 'I'm a victim too'."

Police interviewed Zia and Sukma, along with the 12 other former students who came forward with allegations of abuse.

"They thought they were the only ones – and it's been really shocking for them to learn, like I did, that they weren't alone, " Zia remarked.

Sukma remarked she felt relieved and grateful that the allegations are now being taken seriously.

"It's not regarding revenge. It's more the acknowledgement that what he did was wrong. I'm waiting for the day when he admits that himself, " she informed the BBC.

Abah has resigned from the school and has remarked he will respect the legal process.

Notably, the BBC contacted Abah and his wife during its original investigation, but they did not respond at the time.

NWDI denied trying to cover up the allegations and remarked it was investigating them internally. It remarked it had a duty to protect the organisation from being tarnished by the alleged actions of individuals.

After the BBC investigation, NWDI vowed to ensure such abuse never happened again and stated it would safeguard the rights of students who came forward.

For now, headmaster detained after BBC investigation into alleged sexual abuse of students remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.