How DCI arrested four college students for suspected KCSE fraud

Detectives say they were following a trail of messages shared on Whatsapp and Telegram. [Source: DCI, Twitter]

Detectives investigating claims of KCSE 2022 examination malpractice have arrested four college students for allegedly taking part in KCSE examination malpractice via Whatsapp and Telegram messaging platforms.

Police say the four suspects are believed to be part of an examination fraud syndicate that has been sharing examination questions and answers to students and teachers at a fee.

According to the DCI detectives, the syndicate comprises school heads, security agents, parents and college students who use Telegram (cloud-based instant messaging service).

“In spite of the concerted efforts that the Ministry of Education led by the Cabinet Secretary and KNEC officials have employed to uphold the integrity of administering the examination, the efforts are being jeopardized by crooked government officials at county levels,” DCI tweeted.

The sleuths have identified the main suspect as Gideon Kibet Tanui alias Evans Kipruto, an Information Technology student at Baringo Technical College.

Police reports indicate that he was arrested while allegedly administering English paper 2 and Chemistry paper 1 to students of Silibwet and Sitoito secondary schools in Molo, via a Whatsapp group of 70 members.

“He who was dishing out examination papers at a paltry Sh500 per paper was also discovered to be a member of two fraudulent examination Telegram groups with over 17,000 followers,” the detectives have disclosed to the public.

 “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,” they added.

His arrest led the detectives to Kevin Kiprotich Langat, a bachelor of Arts student in Swahili, at Rongo University, who was in constant communication with the first suspect who 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,” detectives say.

When going through Langat’s trail of communication, the detectives arrested yet another suspect.

The sleuths said that at the time of his arrest, Justice Leting was distributing a Kiswahili paper and preparing answers for the Chemistry practical paper.

Through his phone, the investigators were able to track a conversation between Leting and a student named ‘Bett’. The conversation showed Leting assuring Bett that the answers he had provided were legitimate.

“Shockingly, Leting's mobile phone had the entire KCSE examination material which was recovered by the detectives,” DCI tweeted.

So far, the detectives have used cyber and digital forensics to intercept tens of messages containing screenshots of the papers that are currently being examined.

Police say the exhibits collected also include handwritten answers which will be subjected to forensic document examination at the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, to ascertain the authors.

The four are in custody pending investigations and arraignment.