Three students arraigned in court over exam cheating

Three students of Boys Town Secondary School were on Tuesday charged with attempting to cheat in this year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

The students, who appeared before Garissa Senior Resident Magistrate James Masiga, are said to have been found in possession of mobile phones that had information related to Chemistry Paper II, which they sat on November 8.

They were also charged with being in possession of materials related to the content of the examination paper.

Two suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each released on a Sh50,000 bond with surety of the same amount or cash bail of Sh50,000.

Their case will be heard on February 12.

The third suspect was detained following an application by the prosecution, to allow detectives time to trace the alleged owner of the phone the suspect is said to have used.

The owner of the phone is being sought so they can unlock it to enable detectives access to materials the suspects was allegedly planning to use in the exam. They have been barred from sitting the remaining papers.

On Monday, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said students found cheating would be discontinued and barred from sitting exams in future.

The Kenya National Examinations Council has been fighting cartels said to have been leaking examinations to schools over the years.

The Ministry of Education has warned that candidates found smuggling materials into examinations rooms will be deregistered.