Zimpapers Logo

Midlands Correspondent
A HEADMISTRESS with a high school in Zhombe in Kwekwe district and five other teachers from different schools in the Midlands province have been arrested for allegedly leaking a Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Ordinary Level Integrated Science Paper Two examination paper to candidates at different schools in the province, police have confirmed.
The six suspects are headmistress, Vimbai Manaka from Sesombe, Michael Kutama, Lloyd Mpofu, William Gondo and brothers, Bonaventure and Bernard Mangwiro, who are believed to be teachers, allegedly leaked the paper at the weekend.

When The Herald visited Gweru Central Police station yesterday, the six suspects were still detained at the police holding cells assisting with investigations.

Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the arrest of the six suspects before referring questions to national police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi.

Chief Supt Nyathi also confirmed the development but could not give further details saying he was not in the office.
The suspects are being accused of contravening section 35 of the Zimsec Act.

Kwekwe lawyer, Mr Valentine Mutatu of Mutatu and partners who is representing  Manaka the headmistress from whom the paper came from and Kutama said the suspects were likely  to  appear before the court today.

“I am representing two of the six suspects who are facing the charge of contravening section 35 of the Examinations Act after they were accused of leaking an Integrated Science O Level examination paper,” he said.

According to police sources, Manaka allegedly connived with the five teachers from Kwekwe and Gweru who then went and photocopied the examination papers before selling them to pupils and other private candidates in Gweru, Kwekwe, Zhombe and other parts of Midlands.
“We are suspecting the teachers could have leaked more than one examination paper to the candidates. However, the suspects are being accused of leaking one paper which is said to have been provided by Manaka,” said the police source.

However, the source said the matter only came to surface when one of the candidates tried to leak the paper to other candidates.
The integrated science paper Two was written yesterday.