Former Nairobi Water employee fined Ksh.5M for using fake UoN degree

A former Revenue Collection Assistant at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited (NCWSC) has been convicted for forging a university degree to secure employment and unlawfully earning over Ksh.4.7 million in salaries.

The accused, Okandah William John, appeared before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, where he was found guilty of fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal, and was then ordered to pay a financial penalty of Ksh.5,049,597.

According to court documents, the accused used a forged Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Option) degree certificate purportedly issued by the University of Nairobi to obtain employment at the water utility.

According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), investigations established that Okandah used the forged degree certificate to secure employment at NCWSC and unlawfully received Ksh.4,749,597 in salaries between September 3, 2016 and November 30, 2023.

Court records show that NCWSC forwarded employees' academic certificates to various institutions for verification, after which the University of Nairobi confirmed that Okandah's degree certificate had not been issued by the institution. Of the 162 degree certificates verified, three were found to be falsified, including his.

During the trial, the university's Senior Quality Assurance Officer testified that records showed Okandah had never enrolled for the Bachelor of Commerce programme and was not listed among the 1998 graduates.

The witness further told the court that the university held only one graduation ceremony in 1998 on November 30, contrary to the date appearing on the certificate presented by the accused.

"The only graduation in that year was held on 30/11/1998 on a Friday, and NOT 4/12/1998," the court heard.

The prosecution also presented evidence that Okandah completed and signed NCWSC's employee personal information form, declaring that he held a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Option) degree from the University of Nairobi.

Forensic document examination confirmed he filled and signed the employment records submitted to the company.

Although the court acquitted him on the standalone charge of forgery, it found that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that he fraudulently acquired public property, knowingly uttered a false document and deceived his employer by presenting a fake academic qualification.

In her judgment, Senior Principal Magistrate Celesa Okore observed that the forged degree was not even a requirement for the position he obtained.

"The move by the accused in submitting the forged degree certificate was uncalled for and unnecessary since it was not a requirement in the first place. If it had not been submitted by the accused to NCWSC, this matter would not have been registered in this court and maybe it would have saved the accused person's job," the magistrate ruled.

She sentenced Okandah to pay a mandatory fine of Ksh.4,749,597; equivalent to the amount he fraudulently acquired in salaries, or serve two years' imprisonment in default.

He was further fined Ksh.100,000 each for the offences of fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document and deceiving a principal, with a default sentence of 12 months' imprisonment for each count. The sentences will run concurrently

The court further stressed the importance of integrity in public service, saying honesty and accountability help reduce fraud, corruption and wastage of public resources.