An employee of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has been arraigned at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court after allegedly using forged academic documents to secure employment and fraudulently pocketing more than Ksh8.6 million in salaries and allowances.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), investigations revealed that the suspect forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate and falsely presented it as an authentic document issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). The forged certificate was reportedly used to secure a position at the Auditor General’s office, where the suspect went on to unlawfully earn Ksh8,698,662.91.
Following detailed investigations, EACC forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). After review, the ODPP approved charges, including fraudulent acquisition of public property, forgery, and uttering a false document. The suspect pleaded not guilty and was released on a cash bail of Ksh100,000 or an alternative bond of Ksh500,000.
The case adds to a growing list of fraud-related prosecutions involving public officials and forged academic credentials. Just a day earlier, a Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited (NCWSC) staff member was charged before the same court after it emerged she obtained her job using a fake KCSE certificate. She is accused of fraudulently acquiring Ksh7.5 million in salaries while serving in various roles, including revenue collection assistant and marketing assistant.
In a related case last week, a former employee of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) was convicted for using forged academic papers to unlawfully receive Ksh1.4 million in salaries and allowances between April and August 2022.
The EACC reiterated its commitment to intensifying the fight against graft, particularly cases involving fake academic credentials in the public service. “We will continue to pursue individuals who fraudulently benefit from taxpayers’ money through deceit and forgery,” the commission stated.
The growing trend of forged academic qualifications among public servants has raised concerns over accountability, merit-based employment, and the misuse of public resources.
