IEBC Official Among Five Public Servants Arrested in Fake Certificates Crackdown

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested five public officials, including one from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), as part of an ongoing nationwide crackdown on fake academic certificates.

The suspects, drawn from key government institutions, are accused of forging academic qualifications to illegally secure employment or promotions, thereby defrauding the government of tens of millions of shillings in public funds.

According to a statement by EACC, the arrests targeted officials from:

• Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)
• Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA)
• National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC)
• Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC)
• Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC)

Forged Degrees, Stolen Salaries

The IEBC official, a female employee, allegedly forged a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management, purportedly from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST). She was arraigned at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court where she denied charges of forgery and uttering false documents. She was released on a cash bail of Ksh200,000 or an alternative bond of Ksh800,000.

At NSDCC, a suspect is said to have used a fake Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Nairobi to gain employment. The accused reportedly earned Ksh16.5 million in salaries fraudulently and is facing multiple charges including fraudulently acquiring public property, deception, and forgery.

KeRRA and KMTC Cases

The former Deputy Director at KeRRA is accused of submitting two forged degrees—a BSc in Computer Science from JKUAT and a Business Administration degree from Kenya Methodist University. She allegedly pocketed over Ksh40 million in salaries before her arrest. She is expected to face similar charges in court today.

At KMTC, a former driver is accused of forging a KCSE certificate to secure employment in 2018. He was arrested and released on Ksh50,000 bail, with a court appearance scheduled for Monday, June 16.

NCWSC Under Scrutiny

A driver at NCWSC was arrested on suspicion of using a forged KCSE certificate to obtain employment and defraud the state of Ksh6.7 million in salaries. He was released on Ksh100,000 bail and will appear in court on June 16.

Beyond Criminal Charges

The EACC confirmed that, in addition to the criminal proceedings, civil suits will be initiated to recover all fraudulently acquired salaries, allowances, and benefits from the accused individuals.

“Public service must be anchored in integrity. These arrests send a strong message that the use of fake certificates to access public jobs will not be tolerated,” the EACC stated.

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IEBC Official Among Five Public Servants Arrested in Fake Certificates Crackdown