By Precious D. Freeman
An employee of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Augustine Saysay, was arrested and brought before the Monrovia City Court following allegations of conspiring with three others to collect LD121, 000 from school administrators in Tappita, Nimba County.
Defendants Saysay, Amos Bowah, Hamid Alhanssan Bangura, and Lewis A. A. Lecco, were all accused of leaking the 12th grade mathematics exam to local schools.
According to a writ issued by Monrovia City Court’s Stipendiary Magistrate, Ben Barco, the defendants face charges of aiding the consumption of crime, misapplication of entrusted property, theft of property, and criminal conspiracy.
The writ commands the arrest and appearance of the defendants to answer to these charges.
Defendant Saysay and his co-defendants were initially detained at the Monrovia Central Prison but were later released on bail after filing a criminal appearance bond.
The charges against them stem from an alleged scheme in which Saysay, while employed by WAEC, was entrusted with two packages of the mathematics examination scheduled for May 30, 2024.
Following a rescheduling of the exam, defendant Saysay allegedly conspired with his co-defendants to solicit bribes totaling LDS121, 000 for the release of the examination papers.
WAEC Liberia has condemned the defendants’ actions as criminal, illegal, and unconstitutional, emphasizing the seriousness of the breach and has vowed to cooperate fully with judicial proceedings to address the alleged misconduct and uphold the integrity of the examination process.
