National Security Service detains 7 teachers for leaking PLE exams

JUBA – The Internal Security Bureau (ISB) of South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) has announced that it has arrested at least seven teachers from different parts of the country for allegedly being responsible for circulating examination papers on social media.

Last month, social media users were outraged after examination papers floated on social media while examinations were still ongoing with users accusing the government in Juba of negligence.

Speaking to journalists in Juba on Wednesday, NSS Internal Security Bureau’s spokesman, David John Kumuri, said five of the suspects were arrested from Kapoeta Town in Eastern Equatoria State, one in Yirol West County of Lake State and another one in Malakal town of Upper Nile State.

“The national security service would like to take this opportunity to inform the public as of today that the operative has apprehended a suspected individual accused of leaking South Sudan Primary Examination for the year 2021,”  John told reporters.

“The accused suspect is teachers by profession and they are seven in numbers in which five of them were arrested in Kapoeta town of Eastern Equatoria State, one suspected criminal was apprehended in Yirol West County of Lake State and one was apprehended in Malakal town of Upper Nile State,” he added

The security agency’s spokesman further said the suspects have admitted taking part in the circulation of examination papers on social media during preliminary investigations following their arrest.

“During the preliminary investigation the five suspects admitted to have taken part in the crime for which they have detained and the suspect revealed that they used WhatsApp to spread the exams across the country,” John said.

“This evidently was stored in their individual phone and we also kept their phone that are available as evident with the examination papers inside that will be produced in court for the law to take its course,” he added.