Mmesoma Ejikeme, the 19-year-old candidate involved in the UTME result forgery, has written to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) asking for leniency.
Ejikeme made the appeal on Wednesday during the investigative hearing organised by the ad hoc committee mandated by the House of Representatives to probe the forgery allegation against her.
Mmesoma had claimed a score of 362 as opposed to her official score of 249, according to JAMB.
Mmesoma told the lower chamber that said she had admitted what she did was wrong, adding that it was the reason she came to present her ‘Letter of Profound Apology’.
“I humbly seek your forgiveness for the mistake I made. I sincerely agree that I got the JAMB result from another portal. In the course of this, I lambasted JAMB; I apologise,” she said.
The candidate, who has since had her result withdrawn and earned a three-year ban by the exam body, confessed that ignorance played a significant role in her action.
“Words cannot describe the depth of pain in my heart. This is the first time I will be doing this, I have never engaged in falsification or any misdemeanour,” she said, adding that it was not in her character to manipulate results or bring public institutions to ridicule.
Promising to have embraced genuine repentance, Mmesoma told the lawmakers that she would willingly accept the recommendation of the ad hoc committee as she attempts to rectify her mistake and become a better person.
He said, “Mmesoma’s case was (that of) an amateur, there was one falsification by a candidate that I almost went mad.”
Oloyede called on the public to be careful in making unfounded statements and have confidence in public institutions, while commending JAMB in its processes and procedures.
According to him, JAMB has introduced innovations that will help to reduce human interference in its operational processes, thereby building confidence in the public.
The Chairman of the Committee, Sanda Soli, urged Mmesoma to restitute her ways and not allow such misconduct again.
“You are one of the high scorers, don’t ever think of doing bad things to achieve anything ever again,” he said.