A third year-third year economics student at Zetech University is in police custody after being apprehended for allegedly selling fake Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education (KCSE) examination papers.
Oscar Brighton was arrested on Friday, March 10, by undercover agents attached to the Kenya National Examination council, monitoring and surveillance unit.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspect was in possession of fake examination papers, while others were stored in his mobile phone.
Brighton is said to have created several WhatsApp groups where candidates were asked to deposit monies before being handed the papers to prepare for the real examination.
KCSE candidates were asked to give between KSh 1,600 for Humanities to KSh 2,600 for Sciences.
Brighton was an admin of two groups with a total of 72 participants, who had been sold the examination papers.
The suspect who is a serial offender is currently in custody, to be charged with contravening section 28 of the National Examination malpractices Act 29, 2012.
According to the law, a person, who before or during an examination, gives an examination paper or material to a candidate or another person without lawful authority has committed an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding one million shillings, or to both.
Magoha on Exam Cheating
Last week during the commissioning of Competency Based Curriculum classrooms at Star of the Sea Girls’ Secondary School,Mombasa Education CS George Magoha disclosed that Telegram application was being used in examination irregularities.
“It is regrettable to say that the examination cartels are very active on something called Telegram. We are actually watching closely,” he said.
Magoha said they usually encounter cheating problems during the second paper of every subject.
“I want to warn those few centre managers who will be tempted to open the papers and share it on Telegram that we are waiting for you. If you don’t love your career and your life, then attempt it,” he said.
The KCPE exams ended on Wednesday and education CS George Magoha assured Kenyans that no exam was leaked.
He said any paper alleged to be an original was fake. He warned that those who were arrested for trying to take pictures of the exam papers will be dealt with according to the law.
KCSE exams are scheduled to start on Monday, March 14.
