Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Police in the Western North Region have arrested two staff members of Sefwi Bekwai STEM Senior High School in connection with the theft of large quantities of food supplies intended for students, prompting concern among parents and education stakeholders over alleged misuse of resources meant for vulnerable learners.
According to the Western North Regional Police Command, the suspects — Bennedicta Nyamadi (matron) and Rahel Kyeremateng (cook) — were taken into custody on 23 December 2025 following intelligence received on the night of 22 December. A joint team comprising police officers, the local Member of Parliament and the Municipal Chief Executive conducted a search of Kyeremateng’s residence at Sefwi Atronsu and recovered a substantial cache of food items believed to have been removed from the school’s food store.
Items recovered by investigators included 21 bags of rice (50 kg each), sacks of gari, maize and millet, beans, sugar and cartons of milk, 40 large tins of tomato paste, six gallons of cooking oil and numerous tins of canned mackerel — supplies ordinarily destined to feed pupils enrolled at the school.
Preliminary police investigations suggest that the suspects conspired to divert the food items from the school to Kyeremateng’s residence with the intention of selling them later for personal gain. During interrogation, Kyeremateng reportedly implicated Nyamadi as the source of the stolen food, leading to her arrest at the school premises.
Thefts of food and essential school supplies have long raised alarm internationally and domestically, as such incidents directly impact students’ well-being and access to nutrition — a concern echoed in numerous contexts where school meal programmes are critical for children’s health and education.
Authorities also named an assistant matron, Hannah Dufie, as a possible accomplice in the alleged crime; she remains at large as police efforts continue to locate and apprehend her.
The suspects were arraigned in court and remanded in custody as proceedings progress, with a subsequent hearing scheduled for 5 January 2026, according to court records.
Education advocates say that safeguarding food supplies in schools is essential to protecting vulnerable students, particularly in regions where government and community resources are limited. Ensuring accountability among school personnel, they argue, is critical to maintaining the integrity of feeding programmes designed to improve attendance, health outcomes and learning performance among children.
The investigations are ongoing, and police have urged school authorities and community members to assist with any information that could lead to the arrest of additional suspects and help clarify the full circumstances surrounding the alleged theft.
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