Machakos KCPE officers charged over examination irregularities
By Mutuku Mwangangi
Six officers, who were manning Ivumbuni Primary School KCPE examination centre in Machakos county, were Friday charged in a Machakos court over examination irregularities.
The six; the examination centre manager Joash Munyao, Sharon Kamene (supervisor), and invigilators Elizabeth Nduku, Fredrick Makau, Catherine Nyamai, and Caroline Mwangi appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Brenda Bartoo.
They were charged with committing an examination irregularity contrary to Section 40A of Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) Act No 29 of 2012 laws of Kenya.
The charges against them stated that on October 31, 2019 at Ivumbuni Primary School examination centre in Machakos county, being officers assigned to man KCPE examination of 2019, jointly failed to seal the examination polythene bag containing the day-three Social Studies candidates' answer scripts after the end of the said examination as required in contravention of the said Act.
All the six officers pleaded not guilty to the charge.
State prosecutor told the court he had not received any affidavit from the investigating officer opposing the granting of bail to the accused persons.
The accused were released on Sh200,000 bond and one surety of similar amount each, or an alternative Sh100,000 cash bail.
The court also directed they be supplied with statements that the State intends to rely on. The case will be mentioned on November 7.
The officers were arrested on Thursday after the Examination Officer Manning Distribution Centre, Bernard Nthiwa, discovered that the answer sheets for the Social Studies paper had not been sealed.
Candidates sat the paper between 8.30am and 10.50am Thursday. It was the last paper in the just-concluded KCPE examination.
A host of Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) officials, led by area secretary general Luka Wewa, flocked to the courtroom in solidarity with the charged officers.
