• The case will be heard on November 6, 2019.
• The papers in question are Kiswahili and Science.
A Nyahururu court has released seven people accused of engaging in KCPE exam malpractice.
They were granted Sh50,000 bail and an alternative Sh100,000 bond with a surety of similar amount.
The seven were released on Friday after they denied the charges before senior resident magistrate Ocharo Momanyi.
The first four — Tabitha Wangari, Riflex Simba, Moses Macharia and Daniel Chege — were charged with being in possession of unauthorised Kiswahili examination paper contrary to the Kenya National Examination Council act.
The charge against the four stated that on October 30 at Hezta School within Nyandarua county, they, jointly without lawful excuse, were found in possession of a photographic copy of KCPE 2019 Kiswahili paper.
All but Macharia were also charged with another count of being in possession of unauthorised Science examination paper contrary to the Kenya National Examination Council Act. On October 30, they, jointly without lawful excuse, allegedly possessed a photographic copy of KCPE 2019 Science paper.
Others accused are supervisor William Wambugu, and invigilators Dorcas Wambutha and Dickson Gachau. They were charged with doing or omitting to comply with the oath of secrecy contrary to the KNEC act.
The court heard that at Hezta Group of Schools in Nyandarua, Wambugu, being a supervisor employed by Knec to cover examination in the school, failed to adhere to the oath of secrecy by allowing an unauthorised person to take a photograph of an ongoing KCPE 2019 Kiswahili paper using a mobile phone.
Wambutha and Gachau were also charged with allowing an unauthorised person to take a photograph of an ongoing Kiswahili paper at the examination centre.
Simba, who was the centre manager, was also accused of taking photographs of an ongoing Kiswahili paper using a mobile phone, hence violating the oath of secrecy.
The prosecution had requested the court to deny them bond, saying the seven committed serious offences and would interfere with witnesses if released.
It said some of the witnesses are staff members from the same school. But the magistrate ordered the seven be released on bond. Further, they will report to the Director of Criminal investigations offices every two weeks.
The case will be heard on November 6, 2019.