Two ex-State officers charged over forgery of academic certificates

Two suspects have been charged at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court over allegations of forging and using academic certificates to secure employment in public institutions.

The two, former Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) Security Supervisor John Murira Mwicigi and former Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) technician Kevine Agweyo Okullo, were separately arraigned on Wednesday and denied the charges.

According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Mwicigi is accused of presenting a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate purportedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).

The certificate allegedly indicated that he had attended Githaiga Secondary School, despite investigations establishing that he was not a student at the institution.

EACC says Mwicigi used the certificate to secure employment at NCWSC and went on to earn salaries amounting to Ksh.15.86 million between 2007 and December 2023.

He faces charges of fraudulent acquisition of public property, forgery and uttering a false document.

EACC says it forwarded its investigation file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which agreed with its recommendation to prosecute Mwicigi.

In a separate case, Okullo is accused of submitting a forged Certificate in Refrigeration Grade II Trade Test while applying for the position of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technician at KUTRRH.

The certificate was purportedly issued by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).

Okullo was charged with providing false information, forgery and uttering a false document.

The two suspects were each released on a Ksh.100,000 cash bail or a Ksh.1 million bond with a surety of a similar amount as the cases proceed.