The most damning evidence in the BBC’s investigation into a Lombok boarding school abuse case was gathered not by seasoned journalists, but by former students operating out of a WhatsApp group. Released as the newest season of the global investigations podcast World of Secrets titled Catching My Teacher, the series tracks how young people turned detective to document allegations against their former headmaster, whom they once called Abah, or father.
How Former Pupils Started the Investigation in Private Chats
Zia and Yusron, both star pupils at the Indonesian boarding school in different academic years, set the operation in motion after Yusron reached out via Instagram direct messages. During their correspondence, Zia confided that their former headmaster had sexually assaulted her. Yusron, possessing a deeply analytical mind and a lifelong fascination with detective work, established a WhatsApp group to methodically document everything.
By the time senior journalist Endang Nurdin and former Asia editor Rebecca Henschke arrived from the BBC, the students had already faced direct threats meant to force their silence. Yet, they had recorded every interaction. That collected archive featured phone calls with Abah alongside a recorded meeting where legal representatives attempted to pressure the students into dropping their claims.
Verifying Evidence, Launching Undercover Operation
The BBC team verified the voices, analyzed metadata, and cross-referenced messages and documents before launching an independent undercover operation. In Lombok, reporter Sukma—who was still enrolled at the school and reported that Abah had attempted to rape her—wore a recording device after weeks of preparation focused heavily on her emotional well-being and safety.
Abah’s wife, Umi, answered Sukma’s questions during the operation, acknowledging that she knew Sukma and other students had faced abuse and coercion to sign false denial documents. Henschke noted that the most chilling moment of the audio arrives when Umi turns the accusation around, warning Sukma that speaking out would damage her own reputation and future marriage prospects.
Weeks of preliminary phone calls by Nurdin preceded face-to-face meetings in Lombok and Egypt, backed by comprehensive safety plans and temporary safe houses. Henschke emphasized that the reporting team never lost sight of the immense personal risks these young people undertook to expose the abuse.
Legal Fallout and Unexpected Developments
Following the broadcast and subsequent police inquiries, authorities in Lombok reopened the case, prompting 12 additional former students to come forward with allegations of abuse. Police have named the headmaster as a suspect and placed him in detention.
