Approximately 900 candidates have been implicated in a suspected Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) exam paper leak ahead of the June 2025 Ordinary and Advanced Level exams. Tadiwanashe Frank Chiminya, a 23-year-old polytechnic student from Kwekwe, was arrested and charged with fraud after allegedly creating a WhatsApp group to sell leaked exam papers. Payments were made via mobile money to an account reportedly controlled by Chiminya.
Zimsec officials, alerted by an anonymous tip, infiltrated the group and reported the matter to police. Chiminya was arrested on April 12, and police seized two mobile phones linked to the scheme. The investigation led Zimsec to suspend the printing of June 2025 exam papers to probe the source of the leak.
Prosecutors opposed Chiminya’s bail, citing the risk of interference with the investigation and potential witness tampering. The case has raised major concerns about exam security and the integrity of the national examination process, with authorities working to determine if Chiminya acted alone or had inside help. The outcome of the investigation is expected to have significant implications for future exam security in Zimbabwe.
