A 23 year old Chipinge man masquerading as a Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) official was sentenced to 12 months in prison for swindling desperate examination candidates a total of $495 000 after selling them bogus papers.
Kudzai Chireya appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mr Alfred Chinembiri facing fraud charges on Wednesday 30 November 2022.
He pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to 12 months in prison and 3 months were suspended on the condition of good behaviour.
The remaining 9 months were committed to 350 hours of community service at Birchenough Bridge Hospital
Prosecuting, Mr Thulani Zondwayo said in October, Chireya hatched a plan to defraud unsuspecting prospective ZIMSEC candidates through a WhatsApp group
“Through his WhatsApp group named Mr Povo, Chireya said he was a ZIMSEC official and had access to both Advanced and Ordinary Level October 2022 to November 2022 examination question papers.
“Chireya captured some screen shots of different examination papers using his cellphone,”
“In order to access the aforesaid full examination papers, one had to pay $5 000 on his supplied Ecocash number, 0785588968,” said Mr Zondwayo.
Mr Zondwayo added that various desperate and unsuspecting Ordinary and Advanced Level candidates fell for the scam
“The accused received a total of $495 000 from different complainants and he converted the money to his personal use. The offence came to light when ZIMSEC officials witnessed the alarming leakages of its examination papers and reported the matter to the police,” said Mr Zindwayo.
Recently 4 men from Chipinge were sentenced to eight months in prison each for selling leaked ZIMSEC examination papers to prospective candidates across the country.
Ashard Sibiya aged 22 and Brian Kossam (22) had their sentences wholly suspended on the condition of good behaviour, while Tazwa Zibuke (22) and Musuthu Sithole (21)’s sentences were commuted to 108 hours of community service.
The 4 pleaded guilty to selling and circulating the November ZIMSEC Maths Ordinary level paper 1 and 2, Advanced level Mathematics Paper 2, and Advanced level Accounts paper 2 and 3.
Earlier this month, the same court sentenced three Gaza High School students Takudzwa Muboera aged 19 and Thabo Sigauke (17) to community service after they pleaded guilty to selling leaked examination papers and fraud.
