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A university student has been apprehended in Nairobi for allegedly operating an online syndicate selling fake Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination papers, highlighting persistent challenges in safeguarding national exam integrity.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a 22-year-old university student, Chrispinus Nandafu Naisuma, in connection with an online syndicate selling counterfeit KCSE examination papers. Naisuma, who recently completed a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and physics from Meru University, was apprehended on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, in Nairobi.
The arrest comes as the national examination season for KCSE, Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) commences. Naisuma appeared at the Milimani Law Courts, where he was released on a KSh 50,000 cash bail, with investigations ongoing.
Investigations revealed that Naisuma allegedly managed a WhatsApp group named “Teachers KNEC Exam 2025,” which had been active for nearly two years and boasted over 1,000 members by mid-2025. The syndicate reportedly sold fake examination papers to unsuspecting parents and teachers for prices ranging from KSh 100 to KSh 1,000 per paper. DCI sources indicate that the suspect employed multiple fake identities and mobile numbers to facilitate the scam.
Undercover DCI officers, posing as prospective house-hunters, tracked Naisuma to his residence, leading to his arrest. This incident mirrors previous cases where college students and social media administrators have been arrested for similar examination malpractices, often utilizing platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram to distribute fraudulent papers.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has consistently introduced stringent measures to combat examination cheating and uphold the integrity of national assessments. For the 2025 national examinations, KNEC has implemented several key innovations:
Kenyan law prescribes severe penalties for examination fraud. Unauthorised possession of examination materials can lead to imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to KSh 2 million, or both. Disclosing examination paper contents without lawful authority can result in a prison term of up to five years or a fine of up to KSh 1 million. Assisting or causing a candidate to obtain unauthorised access to exam materials carries a penalty of up to 10 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to KSh 2 million, or both.
Examination cheating has been a persistent challenge in Kenya's education system. In 2014, results for 2,975 KCSE candidates were cancelled due to irregularities, a number that rose to over 5,000 in 2015. Cases have involved school heads, security agents, parents, and university students. The use of mobile phones for sharing questions and answers has been a recurring issue.
Despite the concerted efforts by the Ministry of Education and KNEC, syndicates continue to exploit the high-stakes nature of national examinations. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos has urged the Judiciary to expedite the prosecution of those found guilty of exam misconduct to serve as a stronger deterrent.
The effectiveness of KNEC's enhanced security measures, particularly the personalised examination papers and digital smart padlocks, will be closely watched as the 2025 national examinations progress. The Ministry of Education is expected to release detailed statistics on malpractice cases for the 2024 KCSE examinations after their conclusion on Friday, November 22, 2024.
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