JAMB: Katsina’s Ibrahim Abdulaziz jailed 3 years for impersonation

By Zubairu Idris

A Federal High Court sitting in Katsina, Thursday, sentenced a youth, Ibrahim Abdulaziz, to three years imprisonment for impersonation of a candidate during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) of the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The prosecutor who is also the Officer-in-Charge, Legal, Katsina Police Command, Mr A.D. Saleh, had in the course of the trial told the court that the convict committed the offences on April 30, 2025, at Zee Alpha Academy, Funtua, Katsina State.

According to him, Abdulaziz unlawfully and fraudulently represented himself as Bolanwu Emmanuel, a UTME candidate, and who is the first defendant in the trial.

The offences, he said, were punishable under sections 3(1)(a) and (b), and 3(2)(c) of the Examinations Malpractice Act, Cap E15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The prosecution had presented three witnesses to prove the case against the defendants, and also tendered the examination slip as evidence.

The defence counsel, M.T. Steve, earlier objected to the admissibility of the said examination slip.

However, Justice, Dadan-Garba overruled the objection and marked the slip as exhibit.

The convict had also denied link with the first defendant; and maintained that he was also a candidate but failed to prove that before the court.

While delivering his judgment, Justice Hussaini Dadan-Garba, convicted Abdulaziz of the offences and sentenced him to three years imprisonment without option of fine.

He said that the sentence was to serve as deterrent to others.

Dadan-Garba, however, discharged and acquitted the first defendant, Bolanwu Emmanuel, a UTME candidate.

(NAN)