Four convicted for leaking exam papers

Accra, Jan. 29, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Thursday convicted four persons to various fines for leaking the contents of question papers for the 2003 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for Private Candidates.

Emmanuel Ohene Nartey, 30, charged with conspiracy and stealing the SSSCE papers was fined two million cedis and is to pay six million cedis as compensation to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) or in default serve a four-year-jail term.

He was also bonded to be of good behaviour for three years or in default serve four-year jail term.

Edward Ohene Nartey, (Ed. Correct), who was charged with conspiracy, dishonestly receiving and disclosing the contents of examination papers was ordered by the court to pay a fine of two million cedis and bonded to be of good behaviour for three years or in default serve a three-year-jail term. In addition, Ohene would also pay five million cedis compensation to WAEC and in default go jail for four years. Gideon Sarbah 29, and Isaiah Paani Adjaot, who were also charged for dishonestly receiving, conspiracy and disclosing the contents of examination papers were fined 500,000 cedis each and were bonded for three years to be of good behaviour or in default go to jail for four years.

They would also pay five million cedis compensation to WAEC or in default go to jail for four years.

They had earlier pleaded not guilty but later changed their pleas to guilty and the court convicted them accordingly.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Bennett Sarfo told the court that Nartey is an employee of the Printing Section of WAEC question papers and operated the machine folder of the press, while Ohene is a student of Takoradi Polytechnic and a brother to Nartey. Sarbah and Adjaot are businessmen working with Bozo Company, a construction firm in Accra. Prosecution said between October 30 and November 1, 2003, during the SSSCE examination for private candidates, it was detected that seven examination papers, including Mathematics, English and Social Studies had leaked.

WAEC, therefore, reported the matter to the Police for investigations and a number of candidates were arrested from some examination centres in Accra and Kumasi for interrogation.

Consequently, Adjaot was traced and arrested and he mentioned Sarbah as his source. When Sarbah was arrested he admitted that even though he was not writing the SSSCE, he bought Chemistry, Integrated Science, Technical Drawing, Elective and Core Mathematics papers from Ohene after he (Ohene) had asked him to sell the papers.

Prosecution said Sarbah in turn sold out the papers to a number of candidates and got 1.5 million cedis from the sale.

Ohene and Nartey were arrested and during investigations witnesses identified Ohene and Sarbah as those, who faxed and received the question papers.