The Anambra state government has formed an investigation team to look into allegations that Ejikeme Mmesoma tampered with her 2023 UTME results.

This was disclosed by Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, the state commissioner for education, in a statement on Monday.

Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra, went viral over the claim that she scored 362 in this year’s UTME.

On Sunday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said the student was not the top scorer as widely celebrated. The body explained that she got 249 in the exam compared to what was in the news.

The Professor Ishaq Oloyede-led JAMB stressed that the student allegedly manipulated her result to “deceive the public to fraudulently obtain a scholarship and other recognitions.”

JAMB also promised to prosecute the student and others who allegedly tampered with their results as soon as possible.

Speaking in Awka, the commissioner of education in the state described the controversy surrounding the student’s UTME result as “embarrassing”.

“A panel of inquiry has been set up to work with security agents to investigate the allegation of falsification of result levelled against Mmesoma Ejikeme, who had earlier been showcased in the social media as having scored the highest,” she said.

Recall that the Anambra State government earlier awarded a scholarship to Nkechinyere Umeh, the overall best candidate in the 2023 UTME.