WAEC Official Testifies in Alleged WASSCE Answer-Writing Case

West African Examinations Council Assistant Registrar Foday Bassie Turay has told the High Court that he saw Assistant Examiner Ibrahim Kamara writing additional answers for a candidate during a marking exercise linked to the May/June 2024 WASSCE.

Turay gave the evidence as the second prosecution witness before Justice Cosmotina Jarrett. He was led in evidence by Anti-Corruption Commission State Prosecutor M. L. Sesay.

Evidence from the marking exercise

According to Turay’s testimony, he was serving as a venue coordinator during the conference marking exercise on August 19, 2024. He said he observed Kamara writing on behalf of a candidate during a routine inspection.

Turay told the court that Kamara apologised, asked for forgiveness and said the conduct was “unintentional” when questioned. Turay said he reported the matter to his superiors, who collected the red pen and examination script before handing Kamara over to the officers responsible.

He further testified that Kamara told him Chief Examiner Issa Kamara had instructed him to write answers for a candidate in the Physics 2 examination. Turay said Issa Kamara was subsequently approached and admitted to the conduct, describing it as an “error” and a “mistake”.

The matter was later referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigation.

Questions over the script and ink

Turay explained that his WAEC responsibilities include training examiners, conducting examinations and monitoring the marking of examination scripts. He said he is attached to the council’s National Headquarters on A.J. Momoh Street, Tower Hill, Freetown.

He also told the court that WAEC examiners are expected to use red ink, while team leaders and chief examiners use green ink. Investigators established that the pen allegedly used by Kamara contained blue ink rather than the required red ink.

During cross-examination by Defence Counsel Omo Lisk, however, Turay acknowledged that he had not physically checked the colour of the ink in the pen at the time of the marking exercise.

The defence also questioned the allocation of the scripts. Turay said Kamara had been assigned to mark Physics 3 scripts, while the Physics 2 script involved in the evidence had been assigned to examiner Joseph Benjeh.

Case adjourned

Ibrahim Kamara remains on bail, and the case was adjourned to November 12, 2026, for further hearing.

Issa Kamara was initially charged alongside Ibrahim Kamara. The court was told that he pleaded guilty when he first appeared and was subsequently sentenced. The verified account does not provide details of the offence or sentence.

The testimony concerns allegations before the court and does not represent a final judicial finding against Ibrahim Kamara.