Principals to stand trial

By ZACHERY PER
TWO private school principals accused of stealing and selling Grade 10 examination papers on the streets of Eastern Highlands before the exams in November will stand trial in the National Court.
Goroka Committal Court Magistrate Felix Terra issued the order after he found sufficient evidence against Syntax Secondary School principal Yafe Fame, 37, of Henagaru village in Okapa, Eastern Highlands, and Joe Harron Kipoi, 45, of Maiya village in Pangia, Southern Highlands. Terra committed Fame and Kipoi to trial on a date yet to be set.
Fame is on a K1,500 bail and Kipoi is remanded at Bihute jail.
It is alleged that the suspects stole examination papers at Syntax’ private secondary school and sold them to Grade 10 students who were about to sit their national examinations.
According to court papers, assistant secretary for examinations from the Department of Education Kuagai Dua registered a complaint with Goroka police in November confirming the stealing of the papers as he uncovered that boxes containing the examination papers were tampered with.
He said principals of Syntax and Numunuhoi Academy School allegedly took the papers and left them at Synax Secondary School on Oct 8.
It was alleged that Fame (principal of Syntax) carefully cut the boxes and plastic that contained the papers and removed a copy each of every subject.
He scanned and downloaded them to his mobile phone and sent them to Kipoi via Whatsapp, who printed and sold them to students for their final examinations between Oct 9-13.
Syntax is a private school located at Mamboo market on the southern fringe of Goroka town.
The suspects sold the papers and made a total of K350 but other students who they gave the papers to told them that they would return the papers with the money but instead they reported the matter to education officials and police.
Fame and Kipoi were questioned, arrested and detained.