As learners prepare for their national examinations scheduled for November 28, 2022, con artists pretending to have exam papers are on the rise.
A second-year student at the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology was, however, unlucky as his plan to reap from desperate parents and learners backfired.
The young man was arrested and arraigned in a Nairobi court after being accused of using his telegram account, which has over 20,000 followers, to sell fake national examination papers.
Furthermore, the university student was accused of using a fake name, Professor James or Professor David, in a bid to convince the unsuspecting buyers of the papers' legitimacy.
Additionally, the young man was accused of unlawfully acquiring an East African Community passport and two national identity cards that do not bear his name.
He, however, denied the allegations and was released on a Ksh500,000 cash bail.
Notably, the arrest came after three other students from Egerton University were arraigned in court for obtaining millions from parents and learners in the pretense of having access to national exam papers.
The trio that operated at the main campus used social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram to con Kenyans. They also used fake names, impersonating lecturers.
"During the raid, detectives recovered six mobile phones, eight identity cards, and ATM cards all linked to fraudulent Telegram and bank accounts," detectives noted.
Consequently, to curb exam leakages through the internet, the Education CS Ezekiel Machogu declared that detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) will be roped into the strategy.
According to Machogu the DCI will monitor social media platforms prior to and during the exam period.
"We are here to give an assurance to the country that we are well prepared for this year’s examinations," the CS affirmed.
