KCSE: 15 in court as malpractices are detected in test

Some of the 15 invigilators and supervisors at Monianku Secondary School in South Mugirango, Kisii County, yesterday, when they were arraigned in connection with exam malpractices. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Fifteen suspects linked to various examination malpractices at Monianku Secondary School in South Mugirango have been remanded for five days.

The suspects, who were arrested on Monday afternoon, will be held at Nyamarambe police station in Kisii as investigation continues.

Defence lawyer Ondieki Kerosi yesterday told Senior Resident Magistrate Margret Nafuka Makokha that the suspects were yet to be served with relevant court documents pertaining to the case.

However, the magistrate said the case was too sensitive and ordered the suspects to appear in court on November 12, to take pleas.

According to the charge sheet, the accused will be charged with being in possession of examination papers, materials or information contrary to section 27(1) of the Kenya National Examinations Council Act, 2012.

John Motende, John Onyancha, Bernard Omworo, Joel Omagwa, Joel Nyakwanya, Gideon Nyagaka, Edna Morwabe, Peter Arori, Christopher Otieno and Ann Nyaboe could be charged with willfully assisting candidates to obtain unauthorised examination papers, namely Chemistry Paper One theory of KCSE 2018.

Irene Mbone, Judith Nyaboke, Marori Edwin, Alex Ziko, Christopher Ogora, Christopher Odhiambo and Peter Arori could also be charged with facilitating commission of an offence under the same Act by filling answer sheets of KCSE examination paper.

In the South Rift region, nine candidates are writing the national examination in hospitals after giving birth.

Three of the KCSE candidates are from Nakuru County, four from Bomet while two gave birth at Kabarnet Hospital in Baringo County. One candidate in Rongai sub-county is due for delivery.

Rift Valley Education Director Mary Gaturu said the learners were in stable condition and were encouraged to write the examination.

Speaking in Bomet, Petroleum and Mining Chief Administrative Secretary John Mosonik said the trend where candidates sat examinations in hospital after delivering was worrying.

“This could be a reason for the dwindling performance in national examinations within the county,” said Mosonik.

Speaking in Murang’a County on day two of the examination, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said unauthorised persons should keep off school compounds for as long as the exams are in progress.

“Only centre managers, invigilators and cooks will be in schools in the entire examination period, and random inspections will be conducted to ensure the directive is implemented,” she said.

She said no incident was reported on the first day as candidates sat their papers as scheduled.

The CS visited Mumbi Girls, Murang’a Boys, Kamahuha Girls High among other schools to monitor the examination.

At the Coast, seven people, among them two candidates of a Technical Vocation Educational Training Institute, police officers and a principal sustained injuries in an accident on the Mwatate-Taveta road in Taita-Taveta County Monday evening.

Other accident victims included two Kenya National Examination Council examiners who were ferrying the National Industrial Training Authority trade tests examination papers from Mwanjila Youth Polytechnic, an examination centre, to the main examination container in Mwatate town.

In Tana River County, a Form Four candidate is sitting the national examination in a police cell after being arrested last Friday over alleged theft of a motorcycle.

[Reports by Eric Abuga, Mercy Kahenda, Gilbert Kimutai, Boniface Gokandi and Renson Mnyamwezi]