Busia: Man arrested for sitting exam on behalf of his father

A twenty-six year old man has been arrested in Busia for sitting the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination on behalf of his father.

Matayos Deputy County Commissioner Kipchumba Ruto said George Barasa Makokha, a former student at Bujwang’a Secondary School in Funyula Sub-county, used a police abstract to gain access to the exam room and impersonated his 44-year old father Josephat Basoga Makokha.

His father was registered as a private candidate at Our Lady of Mercy within Busia township.

Police officers from Busia Police Station guarding the English paper one at the school were informed by the Centre manager that there was a suspect who was impersonating a private candidate and writing the exam on his behalf.

On receiving the report, the County security team led by the Mr Ruto rushed to the centre and found the suspect.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect disclosed that he had been sent by a candidate of Index Number 35960101026 registered for Busia Sub-county private namely Josephat Basoga Makokha and who is the suspects father,” said the Deputy County Commissioner.

Mr Barasa is said to have used a police abstract to gain access to the exam room, where he went on to write the examinations before he was caught.

The suspect was placed in custody and is expected to be charged for the offence of intent to impersonate not being the registered candidate in contravention of section 30(c) of the Kenya National Examination Council Act.

The commissioner asked all exam administrators and security agencies to be extra vigilant on matters exam malpractices.

Mr Ruto noted that they have beefed up security in all 26 examination centres with at least two security personnel in every centre.

“Security is beefed up across all the 26 examination centres and their work is to escort examination papers from the container to schools, maintain security during the exam period then escort them back to the container, so far so good,” he said.

Busia County has 16,744 candidates sitting for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education candidates in the 2021 national examination. Out of which 8,452 are boys and 8,292 are girls.

Busia County director of education Thaddeus Awuor said the 2021 candidates increased from 13, 002 in 2020, recording an increase of 28.7 percent this year.

Speaking after inspecting the opening of the KNEC container in Butula sub-county headquarters, Mr Awuor noted that so far they have not received any information of a candidate missing examination for any reason.

“I am yet to receive information of any student who has failed to turn up for his or her examination due to one reason or another,” he said.

He advised all candidates, supervisors, invigilators, and centre managers to follow the rules to avoid any irregularities during the examination period

However, Matayos Deputy County director of education, Orina Osibwoga assured a candidate at Buyende Secondary School in Matayos, who is suffering from epilepsy that they will provide the necessary support the entire period the student will be doing examination without distraction.

He directed the centre manager to avail the necessary medicine in case she needs them.