Headmaster In Court For Defrauding Students Over Fake Zimsec Examinations

A headmaster appeared in the Harare Magistrates’ Court on charges of defrauding final-year examination students by providing them with counterfeit Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) papers.

Tafadzwa Chikohora, 31, was remanded in custody and is scheduled to apply for bail on October 25. The complainant in the case is Ivyluck College, represented by its director, Lucky Sibanda.

According to the prosecution, Ivyluck College, which offers classes from Form 1 to Form 6, is not a registered Zimsec examination center. As a result, the college sought the services of Chikohora, who was entrusted with the responsibility of registering three students for their O Level November examinations at Ellis Robins High School, a registered Zimsec examination center.

State prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi told the court that the college had given Chikohora US$729 in May this year to cover the examination fees for the three students. However, instead of registering the students, Chikohora allegedly diverted the money for his personal use.

To cover up his actions, Chikohora is alleged to have created fake Zimsec examination papers for the students to write. The counterfeit papers were presented as legitimate exam materials, and the students were unaware that they were not sitting for official Zimsec exams.

The scheme began to unravel when the students discussed the examination papers after completing their supposed exams. Their discussions raised suspicions that the papers were not authentic, leading to an investigation into the matter. According to the court, copies of the fake exam papers were later found on Chikohora’s phone, serving as evidence of the forgery.

In a bid to conceal his fraudulent activities, Chikohora allegedly destroyed the counterfeit papers after the examinations were completed. However, his actions were eventually uncovered, leading to his arrest.

Chikohora is facing serious charges of fraud and forgery, with the potential for more legal action depending on the outcome of the investigation. The case has raised concerns about the vulnerability of students in unregistered schools and the potential for exploitation in situations where educational institutions lack proper oversight.

The matter will be heard again on October 25, when Chikohora is expected to apply for bail. As the case progresses, it will likely draw attention to issues surrounding examination registration practices and the need for tighter regulation of private educational institutions to protect students from such fraudulent schemes.

Chikohora remains in custody as investigations continue, and students affected by the scam await the resolution of the case.