Kiambu teacher arrested for involvement in exam cheating
A school teacher has been arrested in Kiambu County over alleged involvement in exam cheating.
According to the DCI, the 23-year-old teacher is alleged to have had the forthcoming 2023 national examination papers for both primary and secondary school.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reported that the suspect Nicholas Ngumbau Kalewa alias ‘Mr Examiner’ who teaches Christian Religion Education (CRE) at St Lilian Academy in Gikambura village, was arrested following meticulous investigations by detectives attached to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
Investigations revealed that Mr Examiner had opened over 10 WhatsApp and Telegram accounts where he sold fake exam papers at Sh1,500 per paper and Sh2,000 for a full exam paper with a marking scheme.
“In the typical language of a fraudster, he warned the over 900 parents and students in the group not to introduce other things as he was busy attending to those willing to buy,” the DCI said in part.
“Avoid many stories in my inbox, I have many clients,” the religious education teacher said in one of his terse responses, seen and shared by detectives.
He also warned members of the group to be wary of scammers as he was the only one with legitimate papers.
The DCI added that the suspect, who had used a stolen identity card to register the SIM cards he was using, had also opened a bank account and provided a pay-as-you-go number to which the money would be sent.
“However, the suspect’s plans were nipped in the bud when detectives infiltrated the groups posing as students who hadn’t done their exams and wanted to reap where they hadn’t sowed.
“A manhunt was immediately launched for the suspect and he was arrested at Gikambura village in Kiambu County where several SIM cards believed to be used in the scam were also found in his possession,” the DCI added.
The Ministry of Education, KNEC, and the DCI have put in place elaborate mechanisms aimed at ensuring the integrity of the conduct of the forthcoming national examinations to avoid cases of irregularities.
On Monday, KNEC warned exam centre managers or invigilators against sharing national examination papers with unauthorised persons, including candidates, up to the time of the examinations.
“Please abide by KNEC rules and regulations. Failure to do so will attract sanctions as stipulated in the KNEC Act,” the council warned in part.
The Act states that centre managers found guilty of leaking exam papers shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh500,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.
The punishment covers persons who gain access to examination materials and knowingly disclose the contents, whether orally or in writing, to any unauthorised person, whether a candidate or not and persons who willfully and maliciously damage examination materials.
Others include individuals who are not registered to take a particular Council examination, with the intent to impersonate, cheat or misrepresent themselves.
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