EACC arrests five public officials over fake academic certificates

Five public officials have been arrested and charged in court for allegedly using forged academic certificates to gain employment or promotions in government institutions, in a fresh crackdown by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The suspects, drawn from IEBC, NSDCC, KeRRA, KMTC, and Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, are accused of fraudulently earning millions of shillings in salaries through falsified documents.

EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud, in a statement on Wednesday, said the commission acted after receiving reports from public institutions and whistleblowers, and has already submitted files to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who approved the charges.

At the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Priscah Osotsi, an Assistant Election Officer, was arrested for presenting a forged Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Masinde Muliro University.

“She used the fake certificate for a promotion,” EACC said.

Osotsi was charged at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court with forgery and uttering a false document. She denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of Sh200,000 or a bond of Sh800,000.

At the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, Vincent Tom Kemoli is accused of using a fake Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Nairobi to get a job. EACC says he earned over Sh16 million in salaries based on the fake certificate.

Kemoli is set to be charged in court with fraud, forgery, and deceiving a public office.

Margaret Wanja Muthui, a former Deputy Director of Supply Chain Management at KeRRA, is also facing prosecution.

EACC says she presented a fake Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from JKUAT and later added a forged Business Administration degree from Kenya Methodist University during an internal inquiry.

“She used both certificates to stay in the job and ended up receiving Sh40 million in salaries,” said EACC.

She was arrested on 11 June and will appear in court on 12 June to answer charges of fraud, forgery, and deceiving a public office.

In another case, Elijah Muthoga Kirethi, a former driver at Kenya Medical Training College, allegedly forged a KCSE certificate claiming he sat exams at Muhoya High School in 2003. EACC says he used the certificate to get the job in 2018.

He is out on a cash bail of Sh50,000  and will appear in court on 16 June to face charges of fraud and forgery under the Kenya National Examination Council Act.

At the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, Kelly Gichuri Muiruri is accused of forging a KCSE certificate from Muhuri Muchiri Secondary School.

Investigations show he used it to get employed as a driver, earning over 6.7 million shillings.

He was arrested on 10 June and released on a 100,000-shilling cash bail. He will also be charged in court on 16 June.

EACC says it will go beyond criminal prosecution and begin civil processes to recover all the salaries and allowances that were obtained fraudulently.

“The Commission is committed to protecting the integrity of public service. We want all jobs and promotions to be based on merit and real qualifications,” said EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud.

He urged all public institutions to strengthen their vetting and document verification processes during recruitment.