Three Egerton Students Charged With Selling Fake KCSE Exam Papers

Before Milimani Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo, Kelvin Anunda Mogaka, Francis Manyara Ogata, and Brevin Osano Ombongi pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, publishing false information on social media, specifically Telegram, and having five different ID cards in their possession.

According to the prosecution, the trio was detained in response to complaints made by various members of the public who had been scammed out of over Ksh4 million that had been put in two distinct accounts. According to reports, the three divided the money equally.

In the first count, the three students are accused of conspiring to mislead the public by claiming there were 2022 Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) leaks through the Telegram social media platform, although knowing full well that this was untrue.

On the second count, the trio is charged with intentionally publishing false information through the electronic application Telegram about offering Kenya National Examinations leaks for the year 2022 on various dates between October 1 and October 20, 2022, at an unidentified location within the contry. They knew the information was false.

During his arrest on October 27, Adunda was charged on his own with five charges of possessing identification cards that belonged to five other people.

The three denied the accusations and begged the court to grant them freedom on bail with reasonable terms because they are University students and will appear in court as needed.

They testified in court that they are collaborating with DCI officers since their arrest on October 26, 2022, that the offenses they are charged with are bailable, and that they do not pose a flight risk.

The magistrate did, however, order their release on a Ksh1 million bond with a Ksh500,000 alternative cash bail and two contact people.

The pre-trial has been set for November 14.