Headmaster of a boy‑sided boarding school in Lombok has been arrested after a BBC Eye investigation exposed allegations of sexual abuse against former students.
Ahmad Imanuddin Sumar, known to pupils as “Abah”, ran the Abul Barokat boarding school on the Indonesian island of Lombok. He is now in police custody following a formal reopening of the case.
The story was sparked by a BBC investigation that revealed how former students Ziadatur Rahmah (Zia) and Sukma Rohana Fajar gathered evidence and shared it with the school and the police. A seven‑page dossier of alleged assaults was handed to the school’s governing body, only to be met with pressure to drop the accusations.
Police have since interviewed 13 former pupils who confirm the abuse and are now seeking justice. The investigation has also prompted parents to leave the school, and NWDI, which runs the institution, has vowed to prevent a repeat of such misconduct.
Abah has resigned and the school is cooperating with investigators. The case highlights the need for stronger safeguards in religious schools across Indonesia.
Image source: BBC Indonesia
