Catching My Teacher – BBC World Service Documentaries

Summary

The documentary investigates allegations of sexual abuse and efforts to suppress complaints at two Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. It notes that such schools are places of faith and learning for many families, but argues that deference to religious leaders and fear of damaging a school’s reputation can make it difficult for students to speak out.

Ira Puspitasari’s account

Ira says she was sexually abused for several years by Mochamad Subchi Azal Tsani, known as Bechi, the son of the founder of Shiddiqiyyah boarding school and a senior figure there. She says she was raped, beaten, held captive, and threatened. Bechi has not been charged over Ira’s allegations.

Ira says she reported him to police in 2018, but faced intimidation and pressure to withdraw the complaint. She describes signing a retraction after threats to her safety; she says her father was then given money by an adviser to Bechi’s family.

Bechi was convicted of sexually assaulting another student—not rape—and sentenced to seven years in prison. The documentary reports that he was released in August 2025 after serving about three years. BBC undercover reporters filmed him at a religious gathering and later met him at his family home, providing evidence that he was free. A former lawyer for the school, who says he changed sides after investigating the allegations, argues that Bechi should not yet have been eligible for parole.

The programme also recounts claims from former students that Bechi abused other women. One activist says she gathered accounts from at least 11 women. These allegations have not all resulted in prosecutions.

Sukmawati Rohana Fajar’s account

Sukma says the founder and headteacher of Abul Barokat boarding school in Lombok, Ahmad Iman Uddin Suma—whom students called “Abah”—began making unwanted advances when she was a teenager. She alleges that he tried to rape her in 2021, but that she escaped.

Sukma and other former students say the school’s culture of obedience discouraged complaints. A group gathered accounts from five women, including Sukma and Zia, who also speaks publicly about alleged abuse.

Sukma says representatives of the influential organization associated with the school were given the allegations, but that she was subsequently pressured to sign a statement saying her relationship with Abah had been a normal teacher-student one. She says she signed after being threatened with prison if she went to police.

Secret recordings presented by the programme appear to show Abah urging Sukma to deny the allegations and offering to fund her studies abroad. In a separate recording, he tries to reframe alleged unwanted touching and kissing as harmless affection between a father and child.

Using a hidden camera, Sukma later tries to confront Abah. He avoids speaking with her, while his wife, “Umi,” tells Sukma that she had already forgiven him, warns that pursuing the matter could harm her reputation, and says the signed agreement protects him. Sukma says she was forced to sign it. The confrontation leaves her upset, but she says support from her family gives her strength to seek justice and prevent other students from being harmed.

Overall, the film argues that personal influence, institutional loyalty, and intimidation can obstruct accountability. It presents the women’s accounts as allegations, distinguishes them from Bechi’s conviction in a separate case, and shows the BBC’s efforts to document his early release and the pressure placed on complainants.

Presenters and contributors

• BBC Eye / BBC undercover reporting team — Individual reporters are not named in the subtitles.
• Ira Puspitasari — Former Shiddiqiyyah student and complainant.
• Sukmawati Rohana Fajar (“Sukma”) — Former Abul Barokat student and complainant.
• Zia — Former Abul Barokat student who also speaks about alleged abuse.
• Zedekiah IU — Former student described as gathering testimonies from women.
• A former Shiddiqiyyah lawyer — Unnamed in the subtitles; says he changed sides after investigating the allegations.