A former headmaster of an Islamic boarding school in Indonesia has been detained following a BBC investigation into alleged sexual abuse of students, sparking public outrage and drawing dozens of former pupils forward with accounts of misconduct.
How Former Pupils Uncovered Allegations at the Boarding School
Central to the investigation were former students Ziadatur Rahmah, known as Zia, and Sukma Rohana Fajar, who launched their own inquiry after Zia told a former classmate, Yusron Azzahidi, about an alleged assault when she was 17. At the time, Zia was studying in Cairo while Yusron was in Jakarta. Yusron suggested they gather evidence to support the accusation, leading them to speak with Sukma, who alleged that the headmaster attempted to rape her at the school.
Yusron compiled a seven-page document detailing the allegations and delivered it to representatives of Nahdlatul Wathan Diniyah Islamiyah (NWDI), the organization that ran the boarding school. The former headmaster, Ahmad Imanuddin Sumar—known to students as Abah—had led the Abul Barokat boarding school for several years, according to reporting from regional news outlets. Rather than receiving support from the governing organization, the students stated that they were pressured to withdraw their accusations.
Secret Recordings and Denials From the Headmaster
During their independent investigation, the former students captured secret recordings of conversations with the headmaster. In one recorded phone call, Abah pleaded with Yusron to protect his reputation and silence the allegations.
Cover the shame of your teacher.
Abah, via BBC
Abah also contacted Zia directly, apologizing while pleading with her to remain silent in a conversation she secretly recorded and shared with journalists. Sukma additionally told reporters that she had been forced to sign a document stating her allegations were lies. She recorded a subsequent conversation with Abah’s wife, known as Umi, who reportedly told her the document was intended to protect her husband’s good name. Following the publication of the investigation, Abah held a news conference where he denied all allegations. He did not dispute that the voice in the recorded calls was his, but maintained that the recordings were not confessions.
Police Action and Institutional Response at Abul Barokat
The media exposure prompted police to reopen the case, expand interviews, and review documents from a wider circle of former students. Authorities eventually named the former headmaster as a suspect in a sexual abuse investigation and detained him, as detailed in international news summaries. Investigators have interviewed at least a dozen former students who described various forms of abuse, including sexual assault and coercive behavior.
The school’s governing organization, NWDI, responded to the findings by denying any cover-up attempts and promising an internal review, though critics argued the group initially sought to protect its reputation rather than student safety. NWDI has since pledged safeguards to prevent future abuse and protect students who report misconduct. Meanwhile, parents and guardians connected to Abul Barokat have reacted with concern, with some removing their children from the program as local authorities continue their legal review.