Two staff members of Awaso STEM Senior High School have been remanded into police custody by the Sehwi Wiawso Magistrate Court over the alleged diversion of food supplies meant for students of the school.
The suspects, identified as the school’s matron, Nyamadi Benedicta, and a cook, Rachel Kyeremateng, appeared before the court on charges of stealing. The case was presided over by His Worship Eric Baah Boateng, who ordered that both women be held in custody pending further investigations.
The court heard that the two were arrested on Wednesday, December 24, while allegedly transporting large quantities of food items belonging to the school to a private residence at Atronsu, a community in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region.
According to prosecutors, the food items were part of supplies allocated for the feeding of students at Awaso STEM Senior High School. Authorities became suspicious after receiving information suggesting that school provisions were being diverted for private use.
Police intercepted the suspects during transportation of the items, leading to their arrest. The seized items included 21 bags of rice, six gallons of cooking oil, 40 tins of tomatoes, four boxes of milk, a bag of sugar, as well as quantities of maize, millet, gari and other foodstuffs.
Prosecutors told the court that the alleged diversion could have significantly affected food availability for students if it had gone undetected. Feeding programmes in senior high schools are considered critical to student welfare, particularly in boarding institutions where meals are fully dependent on school supplies.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court. However, the prosecution requested that they be remanded to allow police to complete investigations and prevent any possible interference with evidence or witnesses.
In granting the request, the magistrate remanded both suspects into police custody at Sehwi Bekwai, noting the seriousness of the allegations and the need for further investigations.
The case has drawn attention in the Western North Region, where concerns have previously been raised about the management of food supplies in some public schools. Education authorities have repeatedly warned against the misuse of government-provided logistics, stressing that such actions undermine student welfare and public trust.
School feeding and supply management remain key components of Ghana’s secondary education system, particularly under the Free Senior High School policy. Any disruption to food supply chains, officials say, can have a direct impact on student health, academic performance and discipline.
Legal experts say the remand does not amount to a declaration of guilt, but is a procedural step to allow investigations to proceed. Under Ghanaian law, suspects may be remanded when a court is satisfied that doing so is necessary to ensure the integrity of the investigation.
The suspects are expected to reappear before the Sehwi Wiawso Magistrate Court on January 5, when prosecutors are anticipated to provide an update on the progress of investigations.
Police say further inquiries are ongoing to establish whether other individuals may have been involved or whether similar incidents have occurred previously. The recovered food items have been secured as exhibits.
Meanwhile, education officials are expected to conduct internal reviews at the school to assess inventory controls and prevent future occurrences. Authorities say measures will be strengthened to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of school resources.
The case continues.