Former Nairobi Water Officer Fined KSh4.7 Million Over Forged University Degree
A former Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) Revenue Collection Officer has been fined KSh4.7 million after the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court found him guilty of using a forged university degree certificate to secure public employment.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Okandah William John forged a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Option) degree certificate purportedly issued by the University of Nairobi before using it to obtain employment at Nairobi Water.
“Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) established that Okandah William John forged a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Option) degree certificate purportedly issued by the University of Nairobi and used it to secure employment at NCWSC,” read the statement in part.
Court Orders KSh4.7 Million Fine
The anti-graft agency said investigations established that Okandah unlawfully received KSh4,749,597 in salaries between September 3, 2016, and November 30, 2023, while serving as a Revenue Collection Officer.
Following the conviction, the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court ordered him to pay the full amount he fraudulently acquired or serve a two-year jail term if he defaults.
“The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court convicted Okandah and sentenced him to pay a mandatory fine of KSh4,749,597, being the amount fraudulently acquired, or serve two years’ imprisonment in default,” EACC stated.
In addition to the mandatory fine, the court imposed KSh100,000 fines for each of the offences of fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal.
EACC Says Conviction Protects Public Resources
The commission said the ruling demonstrates its commitment to protecting public resources and ensuring accountability among individuals who use fraudulent academic credentials to gain public employment.
“The conviction underscores the EACC’s commitment to safeguarding public resources and ensuring that individuals who obtain public employment through fraudulent means are held accountable in accordance with the law,” the commission added.
Conviction Comes Days After Similar IEBC Cases
The conviction comes just days after two former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) employees were found guilty in separate cases involving forged academic certificates.
According to EACC, Purity Mwaniki Wanja, a former IEBC Constituency Office Clerk, was convicted on July 2 after the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court adopted a Plea Bargain Agreement.
Investigators established that she forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate purportedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) before using it to secure employment with the electoral commission in July 2012.
In a separate case concluded on June 29, Luka Mukimi Musamali, another former IEBC employee, was convicted for using a forged university degree certificate to obtain a promotion from Constituency Office Clerk to Constituency Elections Assistant.
EACC said investigations revealed Musamali submitted falsified academic documents during the promotion process, highlighting what the commission describes as an ongoing crackdown on academic certificate fraud within public institutions.
The latest convictions reinforce EACC’s efforts to detect fraudulent qualifications, recover unlawfully acquired public funds, and prosecute individuals who obtain employment or career advancement through forged academic credentials.
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