The Anambra State Government Committee on Verification of Examination Fraud involving Mmesoma Ejikeme has said she manipulated her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination result.
Mmesoma Ejikeme had been claiming that she had the highest score in the UTME with an aggregate score of 362.
JAMB, the examination body immediately refuted her claims, insisting that she had been parading a fake result; a situation which generated controversy across the country.
On July 5, the House of Representatives had to wade into the matter and directed JAMB to suspend further actions until after investigation is concluded.
This prompted the Anambra State government to set up a committee to look into the matter.
After the committee concluded its investigation, it disclosed that Mmesoma admitted that she manipulated her original score of 249 using her phone to arrive at the fake result which she had been parading.
The Committee in its eight-page report signed by the Anambra State Commissioner of Information, Paul Nwosu, said it conducted interviews with relevant parties, including Mmesoma, JAMB officials and other persons involved in the process as well as the principal of Anglican Girls Secondary School.
According to the report Mmesoma in the presence of her school principal and Education Secretary admitted that JAMB was right about her fake result.
The Committee directed Mmesoma to tender a written apology to JAMB, the Anglican Girls Secondary, and the Anambra State Government.
Meanwhile JAMB had withdrawn Mmsoma’s original result and barred her from writing UTME for the next three years.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board JAMB has said the report of the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Anambra State Government, an independent and unbiased body, as demanded by some Nigerians to look into the Mmesoma saga, has vindicated the Board.
A statement by the Acting Director, Public Affairs of JAMB Dr Fabian Benjamin explains that the outcome has further reinforced the position of the Board that its system was not and cannot be compromised.
According to the statement, the Board has built a reputation in terms of the conduct of credible examinations over the years and cannot afford to fail the nation at this critical juncture of its development.
Dr Benjamin maintained that the board will not despair in spite of the painful realisation that some Nigerians would do anything to cast aspersions on the good name of the Board.
Dr Benjamin warns candidates to stay away from fraudulent Apps that promise to enhance their scores as the end result would always be anguish and misery.
It added that the Mmesoma case should serve as an eye-opener especially to those who hold the view that anything goes in Nigeria.