Suspect behind Telegram KCSE leakage fraud arrested

Nairobi, 

Monday, 11 November, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Detectives attached to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) jointly with their Masaba North counterparts have arrested a notorious examination fraudster Stephen Nyang'au Mbeche.

Nyang'au, the administrator of "KCSE 2024 Leakage Group" on Telegram, was cornered and arrested after a sustained surveillance operation.

The page has witnessed an increased number of subscribers currently at over 72,000 subscribers within the past five days as the exams continue.

The fraudster has been charging different packages for different needs. One would have to pay Ksh3,500 for a single paper, with the amount going beyond Ksh18,000 an amount that has since dropped to Ksh12,000 for VIP access which links one to all the papers up to the end of the examinations.

A detailed search at his premises resulted in the seizure of a mobile phone and a laptop, the supposed tools of trade he uses to exploit parents and students involved in the cheating.

In their investigative reports by Nation Media Group, the suspect is said to dissappear once he received the money from victims.

They made payments as required in the group awaiting to be provided with the Kiswahili paper they requested. After payments, they were prompted to wait for verification, a process that took over 30 minutes.

"I am not sure how to respond to that. This is an automated KCSE LEAKAGE BOT. Every resource is available here. Follow the procedure to access the KCSE leakages and other services, and contact admin for more. Please use the menu buttons / start to access our services," read the message NTV reporters got after paying for the leakage.

On the page, the scammers post photos of exam papers as soon as the exams begin to lure unsuspecting Kenyans to believe that they have prior access to the exam papers.

On Friday, Education PS Dr Belio Kipsang said that only 11 cases were reported of examiners trying to sneak in mobile phones and other information gadgets to examination centers.

Following the incidents, Telegram has been inaccessible to many internet users across Kenya, reigniting concerns over government-imposed restrictions that have repeatedly disrupted access to crucial digital services. This follows similar incidents in 2023 when Telegram was blocked during the national exams, allegedly to prevent exam cheating.

In 2023, the government cited Telegram as a platform where national exam papers were allegedly leaked, triggering a blockage that lasted for over a week. 

As national exams are underway in 2024, Telegram has once more been restricted. Ongoing disruptions have been confirmed by web connectivity tests from OONI and Netblocks, as well as independent tests by Tatua. Many users have expressed frustration on X (formerly Twitter), about the inability to access Telegram.

In an update to the situation, there is a letter circulating, allegedly from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) directing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to limit access to Telegram during the national exam hours until November 22, 2024.