The number of people arrested over mass cheating in the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations has risen to 127 as investigations into the malpractice continue.

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Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has arrested 46 more people, in addition to 81 suspects arrested earlier this month over their alleged roles in facilitating cheating during the national examinations.

The latest suspects come from eight districts, with Nyabihu recording the highest number at 16, followed by Kayonza with 11 and Rwamagana with six. There are four suspects from Nyamagabe, three from Gicumbi, another three from Huye, two from Musanze and one from Kirehe.

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RIB spokesperson Thierry Murangira confirmed the latest arrests to The New Times on Thursday, September 17, saying the cases were being processed as part of the ongoing investigation.

"It is a progress of investigation,” Murangira said.

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The case files for suspects from Kirehe, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Nyabihu, Musanze, Nyamagabe and Huye were forwarded to the Prosecution on September 14. The file for those from Gicumbi was submitted on September 15.

The suspects face charges including misuse of legally granted authority for personal gain and breach of professional secrecy.

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The first offence is classified among corruption-related crimes under Article 15 of the law on fighting corruption. A conviction carries a prison sentence of seven to 10 years and a fine of between Rwf5 million and Rwf10 million.

Breach of professional secrecy is provided for under Article 150 of the law establishing the penal code and carries a prison sentence of one to two years upon conviction.

The new arrests come after RIB announced on September 5 that it had arrested 81 people suspected of playing different roles in the examination malpractice.

Those suspects included local government officials, district and sector education officers, school administrators, teachers and other school staff.

RIB said the earlier suspects were being investigated for abuse of functions, breach of professional secrecy, and forgery, falsification and use of forged documents.

At the time, Murangira said investigations had indicated that the suspected malpractice had been organised and facilitated both before and during the examinations.

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The widening probe follows the Ministry of Education’s decision to order 7,188 pupils to retake the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations after investigations uncovered widespread cheating.

The ministry said on August 30 that cheating had occurred in 254 examination rooms across the country, with some of the malpractice organised and facilitated by adults entrusted with administering the examinations.

The affected pupils sat the retake examinations from September 2 to 4, giving them another opportunity to complete the examinations.

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Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana had described the more than 7,000 affected pupils as the highest number of examination malpractice cases ever reported in Rwanda’s national examinations.

A total of 286,579 learners from 3,895 schools sat the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations, which recorded an overall pass rate of 82.2 per cent.

Education officials recently said at least 1,000 candidates for Advanced Level national examinations were also suspected of malpractices.