A child has filed a rape complaint against the founder and director of the Clerheid outdoor education centre in the municipality of Erezée in Luxembourg Province, adding a new development to the judicial investigation into his alleged sexual abuse of children.
A two-part RTBF investigation broadcast earlier this year revealed that investigators from Marche-en-Famenne were examining several complaints of inappropriate sexual behaviour by the director, who maintains his innocence.
According to the French-language public broadcaster, the latest complaint has been forwarded to the courts and incorporated into the existing investigation, which concerns alleged offences against the sexual integrity of minors under the age of 16 relating to incidents said to have occurred in 2023 and the summer of 2025.
School trip
RTBF reports that the girl's lawyer, Laurent Levi, has alleged the events took place during a school trip to Clerheid in what he described as “an organised process”, involving the isolation of the child, the administration of medication without her knowledge and the alleged assault that followed.
The latest allegation comes three months after RTBF’s #Investigation programme reported that two additional complaints had been filed against the school's director, bringing the total number of complaints at the time to four.
The broadcaster also revealed testimony from a man in his forties, identified under the pseudonym “Thomas”, who alleged inappropriate behaviour dating back to the early 1990s, as well as claims that a Brussels school ended its collaboration with Clerheid more than 30 years ago after parents raised concerns.
A symbolic protest calling for the temporary closure of the Clerheid nature education centre, organised by Mouv¿Enfants, in Clerheid (Erezee), on Tuesday 07 July 2026. The centre's founder is the subject of a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of children under the age of 16. Credit: Belga Image/Nicolas Poes
Petition for temporary closure
Following the broadcast, several child protection organisations launched a petition calling for the temporary closure of the centre while the investigation is ongoing. More than 6,500 people have signed the petition, arguing that children’s safety should take precedence while the courts examine the allegations.
After a protest was held earlier this month calling for the temporary closure of the site, the Clerheid centre said it was "committed to the well-being, safety and protection of children".
"The individual in question is not present on the premises during the camps and has committed to leaving their home, located near the school, each time the association organises activities for children and young people. This commitment is strictly respected," the centre said in a statement.
The director’s lawyers told RTBF they had not yet been informed of the new rape complaint and therefore could not comment on its substance. They reiterated that their client denies all allegations and continues to benefit from the presumption of innocence.
The defence has also argued that the extensive media coverage is damaging the reputation of Clerheid, a centre that has welcomed nearly 160,000 children over the past four decades. The centre says the founder has been removed from all activities involving children and is no longer present on site.
The Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles has said inspections found the centre continues to comply with the conditions of its accreditation and that there are currently no grounds to suspend or withdraw its operating licence. Authorities say the judicial investigation remains ongoing and that any political intervention at this stage could interfere with the proceedings.
Why RTBF decided to broadcast its investigation
The reporting has also prompted criticism of RTBF for broadcasting its investigation before any formal charges had been brought.
In response, the broadcaster defended its editorial decision, saying its newsroom began investigating after receiving the first testimonies in autumn 2025 and later gathered around ten similar accounts spanning several years.
RTBF said the number and consistency of the testimonies, combined with the public interest in protecting children, justified publication despite the absence of indictments, adding that journalists are not bound by judicial secrecy rules that apply to magistrates, lawyers and police.
