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

The examination was organised by the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB).

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

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

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

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

Saleh said that 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.

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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 an exhibit.

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