Ifeanyi IbeThe Anambra State Panel of Inquiry set up to carry out an independent investigation into the allegation of fraud levelled against Mmesoma Ejike of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu in Nnewi, has confirmed that she actually manipulated her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination result, where she scored 249 and not 362.
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The report, therefore, recommended that Mmesoma should immediately tender an unreserved written apology to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, the school (Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi), and the state government and should undergo psychological counselling and therapy.
The state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo had set up the eight-member panel on Wednesday to investigate the ongoing controversy between the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and Mmesoma, following the heated counterclaims over the allegation the exam body levelled against the schoolgirl with the mandate of making its findings public.
Mmesoma, had sat for the UTME in May and came under JAMB’s investigation for parading the “highest score” of 362, which was later revealed as manipulated on Sunday.
The panel report which was addressed to the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo was made available by the Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu.
According to the panel, it conducted interviews with relevant parties, including Mmesoma, JAMB officials and other individual(s) involved in the process as well as the principal of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School.
It said that Mmesoma had sent a request to JAMB with a different registration number showing a UTME result of an aggregate score of 362, with Eng: 98, Phy: 89, Bio: 94, and Che: 81 which differed substantially from the standard JAMB format where she got an appropriate rebuttal stating her real score of 249.
The findings further indicated that “the results released by the JAMB with respect to the UTME score of Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma is 249.
“The result paraded by Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma with an aggregate score of 362 is fake as buttressed by the very significant and instructive variations in the registration number, date of birth, centre name and other infractions.
“Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma admitted that she manipulated the fake results herself, using her phone.
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“The Principal, Anglican Girls’ Secondary School — Mrs Edu Uche and the Education Secretary, Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed dismay at the conduct of Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma,” the report said.
Addressing the governor, the report which is titled, ‘Report of the committee on Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma’s JAMB score controversy’ said, “Recall Mr Governor that with the recent release of scores of candidates who applied for admission by the JAMB and subsequent announcement of Nkechiyere Umeh as the candidate with the highest score of 360, Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, a 19-year-old student of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi, from Enugu State, protested to the state government that she scored 362 and ought to have been so recognised.
“This has elicited interest and generated serious controversy and misgivings among the general public that the state government in its wisdom decided to constitute a committee of inquiry to look into the under-listed terms of reference; review Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma’s JAMB results and associated documents.
“Conduct interviews with relevant parties, including Mmesoma, JAMB officials and any other individual(s) involved in the process. Provide recommendations based on the findings of the investigation.
“The committee invited Mmesoma, the Principal of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, and officials of JAMB for an interactive session with the Committee.
“JAMB officials led by Dr Fabian Benjamin, the Head of Public Affairs presented the detailed processes and procedures involved in JAMB admissions, the policy changes that have occurred in the release of UTME scores since 2021 and what specifically transpired between the candidate Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma with registration number: 20230639047FF in her quest to obtain her JAMB score.
“JAMB revealed the different times that Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma made several requests to the JAMB portal asking for her results at different hours, and each of these times (four in number), she received in her phone, same results from JAMB indicating candidate’s UTME Results to Wit: Eng: 64, Phy:54, Bio: 74, Che: 57 with a total aggregate score of 249.
“JAMB disclosed that the candidate was well informed of her correct score. Mmesoma had sent a request to JAMB with a different registration number showing a UTME result of an aggregate score of 362, with Eng: 98, Phy: 89, Bio: 94, and Che: 81. The results she sent differed substantially from the standard JAMB format where she got an appropriate rebuttal stating her real score of 249.”
There were a number of red flags which the report noted were also highlighted by JAMB officials, showing a different date of birth, different Registration Number, and Notification of results template that has been discarded since 2021, amongst others.
“It was also evident that even the centre name ‘Nkemefuna Foundation (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development as it was known before now) used for the examination was also manipulated where the candidate used the old name of the centre (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development) in her own manipulated result sheet.
“In Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma’s submission, she owned up in the presence of her principal, and the Education Secretary that the narration by the JAMB officials was a true and correct description of what transpired.
“She also admitted to having given a manipulated result by herself unaided, using the same phone Airtel Number.
“According to her, she proceeded to the cybercafé (Prisca Global Computers, Uruagu, Nnewi) where she printed the results she had manipulated.
“The Committee tried to find out the motive behind her action, but Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma said nothing.
“In their own submissions, the Principal Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu, Nnewi, and the Education Secretary — Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed shock at what transpired where in their presence, Mmesoma admitted to having manipulated her UTME results, deceiving the school, her immediate family and the state government,” it said.
The panel commended JAMB for the diligence with which it handled the matter and the information supplied about the interface with the candidate.
“We hope that this unearthing of the truth as we have discovered will go a long way in correcting the sentiments, misconceptions and deceptions that have been in the public domain.
“Finally, we thank Mr. Governor for setting up this Committee, and, for the confidence reposed in the committee,” it concluded.
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