Six charged in court over KCPE exam irregularities

Six officers who were manning Ivumbuni Primary School KCPE examination center in Machakos County have been charged in a Machakos court over examination irregularities.

The six who include the examination center manager, Joash Munyao, supervisor, Sharon Kamene, and invigilators Elizabeth Nduku, Fredrick Makau, Catherine Nyamai, and Caroline Mwangi appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate, Brenda Bartoo.

They were charged with the offense of committing an examination irregularity contrary to Section 40A of Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) Act No. 29 of 2012 laws of Kenya.

The charges against them stated that on October 31, 2019 at Ivumbuni Primary School examination center in Machakos County, being officers assigned to man KCPE examinations of 2019, jointly failed to seal the examination polythene bag containing the day three Social Studies candidates answer scripts after the end of the said examination as required in contravention of the said Act.

All the six officers, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

State prosecutor told the court he had not received any affidavit from the investigating officer opposing the granting of bail to the accused persons.

They were released on Sh200,000 bond and one surety of similar amount each, or an alternative Sh100,000 cash bail.

The court also directed that they be supplied with statements that the State intends to rely on in the case. They were ordered to appear before the same court on November 7 for a mention of the case.

The four were arrested on Thursday after the Examination Officer Manning Distribution Center, Bernard Nthiwa discovered that the answer sheets for the Social Studies paper had not been sealed.

Candidates sat the paper between 8.30 and 10.50 am on Thursday. It was the last paper in the just concluded KCPE examination.

A host of Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) officials led by the local secretary-general Luka Wewa flocked the courtroom in solidarity with the charged officers.