Fourah Bay College University of Sierra Leone has denied allegations in a press release swirling around campus, and the country, that some final year students have been demoted to first-year, for reportedly engaging in examination malpractices.

The release, dated Oct. 10, and purported to have originated from the university’s examination office, named nine students as the examination cheats.

The students – five males and four females – also had their supposed university registration numbers listed in the release.

But the university’s examination office told TV-News24 Thursday that the claims contained within the press release were false.

In fact, Umaru Sillah, FBC examinations officer, and whose signature appeared on Monday’s press release, reportedly issued a statement on social media distancing himself from the release.

“As a professional with clearly defined mandate, news making rounds on social media purported to come from me – U[maru] S[illah], [exams officer], FBC, [is false],” Sillah says in part.

TV-News24 hasn’t been able to independently verify this information.

Regardless, the examination office told TV-News24 that they’re actively committed to bringing to book any form of exam malpractices on campus – and students found to be culpable would face penalties.

The now-determined fake press release claimed that FBC caught the students in examination malpractices – after a finding by the examination office.

And that, according to the press release, the finding shows most of the named nine students had in fact, engaged in the unethical behavior since they were in the first year of their university studies.

“Therefore, the [u]niversity is asking all students whose name(s) appeared on this list to start from [y]ear [one] all over again, with newly fresh payment of fees, or leave the university permanently,” the release stated.

This revelations, at the time, generated immense buzz around the university campus and beyond.

And it prompted a written response, dated Oct. 12, from the university’s examination office, with the word ‘disclaimer’ prominently featured in capital letters.

That FBC statement directly referenced Monday’s fake press release.

“The attention of the Examinations Office, Fourah Bay College, USL, has been drawn to the social media post [‘n]ine … FBC final year students who have been found guilty of exams [m]alpractice will start their courses from level one … ‘] making rounds on social media. We want to categorically state that such post [is not true] and did not originate from the [e]xams [o]ffice, FBC,” the university’s response, signed by Sillah, said.