Central to the BBC Eye investigation were former students Ziadatur Rahmah, known as Zia, and Sukma Rohana Fajar.
They launched their own investigation after Zia told 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.
By the time Zia confided in Yusron, she was studying in Cairo, Egypt, while he was in Jakarta.
Yusron suggested they gather evidence to support Zia’s allegation. Speaking to former classmates, they spoke to Sukma, who alleges that Abah attempted to rape her at the school.
Yusron compiled a seven-page document detailing the allegations, and they gave it to representatives of Nahdlatul Wathan Diniyah Islamiyah (NWDI), the organisation that ran the school.
Thinking the school would support 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 said.
Abah also contacted Zia, who secretly recorded their conversation and shared it with the BBC.
In the recording, Abah is heard apologising, but pleads with her to remain silent.
Following 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 said the recordings were not confessions.
Sukma told the BBC she had been forced to sign a document saying her allegations were lies. She later 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”.
The former students eventually resumed their efforts to seek justice, with support from lawyer Joko Jumadi, who has experience in similar cases.
