Thirteen examination officials were arrested yesterday in Gem, Siaya County on charges of cheating. The suspects include the center manager, his deputy, a supervisor, and 10 invigilators, who were detained at Nyamninia Secondary School after being found with answers to Mathematics Paper 2.

Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) officials reported that, while monitoring the ongoing exams, they arrived at Nyamninia Secondary School around 10 a.m. as candidates were taking the Mathematics Paper 2.

The officials said they noticed suspicious behaviour from the candidates, prompting a thorough search. They managed to come across some photocopied answers and responses for the exams the candidates were sitting.

They recovered four photocopies from Isaac Wasonga, a supervisor at the school, and another copy from the candidates. Some candidates tried to chew and swallow the papers in vain, according to the officials.

A multi-agency team consisting of the sub-county security team led by the Deputy County Commissioner and Directors of Education visited the school to confirm the incident and ordered the arrest of the 13 officials.

One of the invigilators managed to escape the school and among the arrested officials is a teacher from a different school.

In another incident, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) together with KNEC officials yesterday arrested a notorious exam fraudster in Masaba North, Nyamira County. Stephen Nyang’au Mbeche, who is the administrator of the “KCSE 2024 Leakage Group” on Telegram, was arrested following a long surveillance operation, according to the DCI.

“A detailed search at his premises resulted in the seizure of a mobile phone and a laptop, the supposed tools of trade he uses to exploit parents and students involved in the cheating,” the detectives stated.

The suspect is expected to be arraigned in court as the authorities hunt down others involved in similar illegal activities. The Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has affirmed the government’s commitment to tackling exam malpractices on an individual basis, rather than penalising entire exam centres.