Ondo Varsity Student Convicted, Jailed for UTME Impersonation

A federal high court in Akure has pronounced a verdict against Adesuyi Feranmi, a 29-year-old undergraduate of Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU) Akungba. The court found him guilty of two counts of conspiracy and examination impersonation during the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Presiding Judge T.B. Adegoke delivered the verdict on March 5, sentencing Feranmi to one year in prison for each count, with the terms to run concurrently. Additionally, the court provided an alternative for the convict, allowing him to pay a fine of N100,000 for each count, totaling N200,000.

Feranmi was apprehended on April 28, 2023, at the Amable Nig Ltd CBT centre in Owo during the UTME. The charges against him included exam malpractice and felony, violating section 10 of the Exam Malpractice Act, Cap E15, LFN 2004, and punishable under section 3(2)(c) of the Examination Malpractice Act, Cap E15 Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

His arrest came after he allegedly impersonated another candidate, Sanusi Tunde, during the biometric verification exercise. Conflicting data, testimonials, and a confession led to a thorough investigation, resulting in Feranmi’s arraignment.

This conviction follows closely on the heels of an Abuja Grade A court sentencing a CBT center owner to jail for UTME fraud just a month ago. The judiciary’s firm stance on examination malpractice underscores the commitment to maintaining the integrity of national educational assessments.