Detectives crack examination fraud Syndicate

The detectives attached to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) launched the investigations exactly one week ago, and have so far arrested the four who are college students in at least four institutions of higher learning.

The main suspect Gideon Kibet Tanui alias Evans Kipruto, an Information Technology student at Baringo Technical College, was picked from his rented room next to the college on March 15, at around 10:30 am, while he was busy administering English paper 2 and Chemistry paper 1, to students of Silibwet and Sitoito secondary schools in Molo, Via his what’s app group with a following of 70 members.

The IT student whose Mpesa account had over Sh10,000 at the time of his arrest was also operating a separate KCB account at Kabarnet branch, where he immediately transferred the received cash from his Mpesa to avoid reversals. In order to conceal his identity, the SIM card he was using was registered using the identification details of one Evans Kiprono.

In an operation that also involved the DCI social media sleuths and the Twitter admin who posed as a candidate, Tanui engaged the detectives in a hide and seek game since last Sunday, from the characteristic cold Molo highlands to Kabarnet in Baringo, where he was finally cornered.

His arrest led the detectives to Kevin Kiprotich Langat, a bachelor of arts student in Swahili, at Rongo University, who was arrested on Thursday. Langat who was in constant communication with the first suspect had forwarded the English paper to him.

It is at Rongo University where a wider syndicate of the examination fraudsters existed, in a Telegram group dubbed the ‘Kale Group’ created under the name ‘Bailing Out’ among other groups.

Langat led detectives to yet another culprit, a first-year political science and Swahili comrade, identified as Justice Letting, who at the time of arrest was busy distributing the Kiswahili paper and preparing answers for the Chemistry practical paper.

In Leting’s WhatsApp forum, a candid interaction between him and a student named Bett was retrieved, where Letting assured him that all was well and that the answers he had provided were legit since he was a ‘star’ in Swahili, during his time.

“Nilipata one hour to, nikaunda answers,” Leting assured the candidate. “Niliunda legitly, nilikuwanga star kwa Kiswahili,” he added.

Using cyber and digital forensics, detectives intercepted tens of messages containing screenshots of the papers that are currently being examined, including handwritten answers which will be subjected to forensic document examination at the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, to ascertain the authors.

Shockingly, Leting’s mobile phone had the entire KCSE examination material which was recovered by the detectives. He revealed to have been working with other students at the institution who are still being pursued.

The breakthrough into this high-level syndicate is attributed to Tanui’s earlier arrest at Baringo Technical college, which has opened a fresh can of worms, into reports of the national examination malpractices.

An elaborate web of fraudsters comprising of school heads, security agents, parents and college students, in some parts of the country have conspired to give lazy students unfair advantage over their counterparts who worked hard and prepared for their examinations.

In some instances, the examination containers are opened hours before the set time, to supply the examination papers to university and college students, for the development of answers that are later sold to candidates.

Relentless efforts by detectives have also unearthed that the syndicate also operates a till number account at Ecobank, where candidates are being asked to deposit Sh5,000 per paper, or a discounted rate of Sh20,000 for the whole examination.

Detectives have already zeroed in on the masterminds of this high-level fraud, believed to be hiding in Nandi hills. They will not escape.

Meanwhile, cyber & digital forensics experts are analyzing all the subscribers in the Whatsapp & Telegrams groups involved in the Examination malpractice for legal action, as documents examination & handwritings sleuths complement their efforts.