The former Battambang High School student who a local news website claimed earlier this week bribed education officials to secure a passing exam grade said yesterday that the certificate the website published is not his.

The student, Sat Sereibot, provided a copy of what he maintains is the genuine certificate, but confusion over the dates the two documents were issued on promises to raise more questions than answers.

“Authorities have to find and interrogate the student who actually bribed officials to dig out the truth and uphold the reputation and dignity of mine and my family’s, including Chhorn Chheang, whose role was twisted by the media,” he said, referring to one of the provincial education officials he was accused of bribing.

Cheang has denied the allegations made against him.

The certificate provided yesterday by Sereibot was issued on November 21, 2014, and bears what Sereibot says is his photograph and shows that he failed exam.

The certificate published on the news website was issued months before, on September 1, and carries a photograph of a different boy, and says the candidate passed.

However, many of the other details on the September certificate, including the boy’s name and family details, are the same as those on the version Sereibot says is genuine.

Sereibot has denied any involvement in bribery.

Education Ministry spokesman Ros Salin said that the committee created to investigate this case was collecting evidence and seeking to verify the various documents.