The Scorpion Squad of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday, Thursday 9th June 2022, conducted series of raids at various examination centres, and arrested the Principal of Shamsierra Secondary School, White Tank, Rokel, Western Rural District, and 19 candidates writing the English Language paper for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) 2022.

Six (6) WASSCE candidates were arrested at the King Fahad Islamic Secondary School, Wellington, Freetown, while Thirteen (13) candidates were arrested at the War Wounded Secondary School, Kossoh Town, Western Rural District.

The candidates arrested at the King Fahad Islamic Secondary School were writing their exams in two special rooms provided by the school authorities, while those at the War Wounded Secondary School were writing their exams in a private residential house situated at No 1 Turay Drive, Kossoh Town. 30 mobile phones which were in the possession of the candidates writing the exams were confiscated.

The phone of the Principal of the Shamsierra Secondary School after being confiscated by the Scorpion Squad showed the said Principal created several Whatsapp groups to share examination questions and answers with WASSCE candidates.

In a similar raid in Kambia, North-West region, the ACC confiscated an additional 34 phones which were in the possession of WASSCE candidates writing the Exams at the Kambia Islamic Secondary School. Candidates with BRS codes for Shamsierra Secondary School were found writing their examination at the said Kambia Islamic Secondary School. The attendance list at the said school also showed that 74 candidates were absent for the exams.

This ugly development comes a week after similar raids were conducted at the Moses Academy International School in Deep-Eye Water, where the Proprietor of the school and WASSCE candidates were arrested for examination malpractices.