Justice Hussaini Dadan Garba of the Federal High Court sitting in Katsina has discharged and acquitted Bolanwu Emmanuel, the first defendant in the trial involving examination malpractice. The ruling was delivered on Thursday, clearing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidate of any criminal liability.
However, the court reached a different conclusion regarding the second defendant, Ibrahim Abdulaziz. He was found guilty of impersonation and subsequently convicted. Justice Dadan Garba sentenced Abdulaziz to three years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.
The trial had commenced following the arraignment of the defendant on charges bordering on examination fraud. The prosecutor, Mr A.D. Saleh, who is the Officer in Charge, Legal, Katsina Police Command, had told the court that the convict committed the offences on April 30, 2025. The incident took place at Zee Alpha Academy located in Funtua, Katsina State.
According to the prosecutor, Abdulaziz unlawfully and fraudulently represented himself as Bolanwu Emmanuel during the examination. The prosecutor stated that the conduct of the convict violated specific legal provisions. He noted that the offences were punishable under sections 3(1)(a) and (b), and 3(2)(c) of the Examinations Malpractice Act, Cap E15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
To substantiate the charges, the prosecution presented three witnesses who testified during the proceedings. The legal team also tendered the examination slip as a crucial piece of evidence. Defence counsel, M.T. Steve, had initially objected to the admissibility of the said examination slip. He challenged the document’s relevance to the case. However, Justice Dadan Garba overruled the objection and marked the slip as an exhibit.
Throughout the trial, the convict denied any link with the first defendant. Abdulaziz maintained that he was also a candidate and had sat for the examination in his own right. He argued against the allegations of impersonation. Despite his defence, he failed to prove his claims before the court.
While delivering the judgment, Justice Dadan Garba emphasized that the sentence was necessary to serve as a deterrent to others. The judge asserted that such conduct undermines the integrity of the educational system. Consequently, the convict was remanded to serve his prison term immediately.
Last Updated on March 26, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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