Private legal practitioner Austin Brako-Powers says investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni did not describe the embattled headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai, as a rapist in his documentary on alleged sexual encounters involving some female students.

His comments come amid growing public debate over the allegations and a GHS2 million defamation suit filed by the headmaster against Manasseh Azure Awuni and the Multimedia Group.

The scandal has attracted widespread condemnation, with civil society organizations and child rights advocates calling for action against the headmaster. However, Zakaria Abdulai maintains that his reputation has been damaged by the documentary and is seeking compensation for alleged defamatory publication.

Speaking to Charles Akrofi on Class FM’s news analysis programme 505, Austin Brako-Powers argued that the success of the defamation suit would depend, among other things, on whether the journalist made statements that could be established as defamatory.

“I have watched the entire documentary. There was nowhere Manasseh indicated that the said gentleman is a rapist. He only sought to put out the allegations of the girls and their parents. And he also interviewed some members of the governing National Democratic Congress,” he said.

Brako-Powers explained that the headmaster would have to establish that the alleged defamatory statements were made by the defendants and that the circumstances surrounding the publication support his claims.

“In this case, he must be able to prove that the so-called defamatory statements were made by Manasseh and the Multimedia Group and, again, that they were accentuated or motivated by malice. But we must understand that the fact that you have the power to sue does not mean the defendants do not have a defense,” he noted.

As the controversy continues, with more female students reportedly coming forward with their accounts, Mr Brako-Powers has urged the public and the media to avoid taking sides before the court hears the matter as this could prejudice public opinion while the legal proceedings are pending.