UTME Impersonator Jailed 3 Years as Court Cracks Down on Exam Fraud in Katsina

A Federal High Court sitting in Katsina has sentenced a young man, Ibrahim Abdulaziz, to three years imprisonment for impersonating a candidate during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Hussaini Dadan-Garba found Abdulaziz guilty of examination malpractice and ordered that he serve the prison term without the option of a fine. The judge noted that the sentence was intended to serve as a deterrent to others who might consider engaging in similar acts.

The UTME is conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

However, the court discharged and acquitted the first defendant, Bolanwu Emmanuel, who was the original candidate in the case.

Earlier, the police prosecutor and Officer-in-Charge of Legal at the Katsina State Police Command, Mr A.D. Saleh, told the court that the offence was committed on April 30, 2025, at Zee Alpha Academy in Funtua, Katsina State. He explained that Abdulaziz fraudulently presented himself as Emmanuel during the examination.

According to the prosecution, the offence contravened 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 establish the case, the prosecution called three witnesses and tendered the examination slip as evidence. Although defence counsel, M.T. Steve, objected to the admissibility of the slip, Justice Dadan-Garba overruled the objection and admitted it as an exhibit.

During the trial, Abdulaziz denied any connection with Emmanuel and claimed he was also a legitimate candidate. However, he failed to provide sufficient proof to support his claim, leading to his conviction.