Headmaster jailed for exam fraud

Simiyu. The Headmaster of a primary school in Itilima District, Simiyu Region has been sentenced to three years in prison or a fine of Sh5 million for fraud during the 2023 Standard Four examination.

Bahati Suguti of the Sunzula B Primary School was convicted by the Itilima District Court while five other co-defendant teachers were acquitted after the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence against them, according to a ruling issued on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

The court’s chief resident magistrate Robert Kaanwa stated that the evidence presented demonstrated that the five defendants, who were exam invigilators, were not involved in the offence.

The teachers acquitted due to lack of evidence include Stephano Daud, Fauzia David, Mwita Boniface, Masatu Jepharine and Salome Aron.

According to the magistrate, Mr Suguti who was found guilty, had assisted students by providing them with some of the answers. This was revealed after the examination papers were marked, showing significant similarities in the answers.

The evidence also indicated that one of the invigilators was approached by Mr Suguti, the first defendant, for cooperation but refused. As a result, the evidence implicated the headmaster.

Due to the weight of the evidence, Mr Kaanwa stated that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. Consequently, Mr Suguti was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison or a fine of Sh5 million.

The six teachers were charged in Criminal Case No. 27062 of 2024 with two offences—conspiracy to commit a crime and aiding students in exam malpractice.

According to the charge sheet, before the acquittal of the five teachers, prosecutor Jaston Haule alleged that the accused committed the offences at different times, violating the law.

The prosecution claimed that between October 25 and 26 in 2023, at Sunzula B Primary School, the accused conspired to commit an offence, contrary to Section 384 of the Penal Code, Cap 16, as amended in 2022.

The second charge stated that on the same dates, during the fourth-grade assessment, the accused assisted students in committing exam fraud inside examination rooms.

The offence was contrary to Sections 23 and 24 of the NECTA Act, Cap 107, as amended in 2019, read together with Regulation 16(11)(c) of the 2016 exam rules, as published in Government Gazette No. 89 of 2016.

A total of nine witnesses and four exhibits were presented by the prosecution. The court found all six accused had a case to answer, requiring them to defend themselves.

After their defence, only the first accused, Mr Suguti, was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison or a fine of Sh5 million. He was taken to prison after failing to pay the fine.

The ruling comes just days after the Tanzania National Examinations Council (NECTA) secretary general, Dr Said Mohamed, announced the cancellation of exam results for 100 fourth-grade students due to fraud.

Releasing the results on January 04, 2025, Dr Mohamed stated that among the 100 students, two engaged in collusion during the exam, while 98 had their exams taken by students from grades three, five, and six.