Two teachers in court over alleged illegal possession of examination papers

Two teachers accused of illegally possessing Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) Information Communication and French Language papers on their phones have been put before an Accra Circuit Court.

The offence allegedly occurred on September 16, 2020, at Evangelical Presbyterian School in Mamprobi, Accra.

The teachers, Jephtern Kwame Nkrumah and James Kodia have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and two counts of illegal possession of West African Examination Council (WAEC) 2020 BECE examination papers (ICT practical questions and French language solved questions).

They pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Afia Owusua Appiah.

The court, which described the offences as misdemeanours, admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 each, to be supported by one surety each, who must be within the court’s jurisdiction.

The court further ordered the accused to report to the Police every fortnight.

Additionally, it ordered prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Ebenezer Teye Akuffo, to file disclosures within three weeks, and adjourned the case to May 20, 2024.

The prosecution told the court that the complainant is Lieutenant Colonel Rexford Adu (rtd), Security Coordinator at WAEC.

The prosecution said Nkrumah is a teacher at Nii Kojo Ababio Basic School, Accra, and Kodia is a French and ICT tutor at Mamprobi Sempe 1 Basic School, Accra.

On September 16, 2020, the complainant alleged that during the September 2020 BECE, which was held countrywide, he intercepted a snapshot of 2020 BECE, ICT, and French language examination questions over WhatsApp.

The prosecution said the complainant assigned one Alex Doku, an intelligence agent attached to the WAEC to monitor the situation and identify schools that would indulge in any examination malpractice in Accra.

According to the prosecutor, Doku visited the Evangelical Presbyterian School in Mamprobi, Accra and after scrutiny of Nkrumah’s mobile phone, discovered a snapshot of answered ICT BECE questions from the morning as well as ongoing French Language examination questions.

The prosecution said the accused were arrested, and that during investigations, Nkrumah confessed to instructing Kodia to answer the examination questions for him.