Three Egerton University students arrested in connection with KCSE exam fraud have each been freed on a cash bail of Sh500,000 after denying the charges.
Kelvin Anunda Mogaka, Francis Manyara Ogata and Bravin Osano Ombongi appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo and denied 12 counts related to fraud by pretending to be offering Kenya National Examinations papers leakages for 2022 tests.
They were charged with conspiracy to defraud, publication of false information on social media namely Telegram and being in possession of Identification Cards belonging to five different persons.
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They are accused of committing the offence on diverse dates between October 1 and October 20, 2022 at unknown places within the country.
The prosecution alleged that the trio was arrested following a complaint by different members of the public, who had been defrauded over Sh4 million deposited at two different bank accounts. The three are said to have shared the money equally.
After denying the charges against them on KCSE Examination fraud, the trio urged the court to release them on reasonable bail terms as they are students.
They told the court that they were not flight risk and have been cooperating with the investigators at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) since their arrest last week on October 26.
Solicited money
The magistrate granted each a bond of Sh1 million with an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000 with two contact persons. The pre-trial is set for November 14.
They were allegedly operating 15 accounts on WhatsApp and Telegram, where they solicited money from the public with the promise of sending them leaked examination papers.
They were demanding between Sh5,000 and Sh35,000. According to the investigators, the students had already collected proceeds of KCSE exam fraud of over Sh4 million deposited in two bank accounts, which the DCI has frozen.
They were also found in possession of several ATM cards, national identity cards, and SIM cards that did not belong to them.