Three Egerton University students were arraigned at Milimani Law Courts for obtaining huge amounts of money through examination leakage.
According to the Directorate of Criminal investigations, the suspects were freed on a bond of Kshs. 1 Million or Kshs. 500,000 with the equivalent amount of guarantee.
The DCI revealed via a statement that the scammers had acquired millions of shillings in examination leaks from parents and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates.
“They got money from parents and KCSE candidates via Telegram forums in the pretext that they would sell them examination materials for the forthcoming national examinations,” said the DCI.
The police have already nabbed the three suspects who are based at Egerton University-Main Campus in Njoro, Nakuru County.
“The mastermind of the syndicate Kelvin Anunda Mogaka, alias Prof Lenchodas, 24, a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Education Mathematics and Physics was lured into a trap by the detectives on Thursday night and led them to his house in Njoro, Nakuru,” read part of the DCI statement.
The DCI revealed that Mogaka is suspected to have gotten millions of shillings from unsuspecting parents.
He lives in a well-furnished apartment from where he founded two Telegram groups with more than 13,000 members. It is believed that it is from these telegram groups that he got the funds.
Parents had paid between Kshs. 5,000 and Kshs. 20,000 to assist their children in cheating during the examinations.
“Police nipped their plans in the bud when they raided the suspect’s house and recovered dozens of SIM cards and identity cards that the suspect had used to open fraudulent M-Pesa and bank accounts where the received money would deposit,” read part of the statement.
Detectives also discovered that belonged to his teaching brother with Kshs. 2 million.
According to the DCI, members were warned to rigorously follow the method to save time. The telegram channels contained instructions for making payments.
“Avoid many stories, all papers are available,” read one of the messages in the telegram group
According to the police, the suspect’s relative revealed that Mogaka had told him that he had won a jackpot following a winning wager and that he would be sending him money to build a house for him at their home in Mosocho, Nyamira County.
Upon visiting the suspect’s home in Nyamusi, the detectives confirmed indeed that the fourth-year student was actually building a house in the village.
Among other suspects were Francis Manyara Ogata alias Prof. Ranchodas and Bravin Ombogi, a fourth-year student at Egerton University studying Education in Mathematics and Geography.
The DCI called on parents not to join such fraudulent groups that leak examinations.
“Parents and students are cautioned not to join such fraudulent groups but be honest and prepare for the forthcoming examinations adequately,” said the DCI.