EACC clarifies concerns on IEBC official arrested over forgery of academic certificates

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has come out to clarify concerns by the public regarding the recent arrest of a senior Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) official over the forgery of academic documents.

During the arrest of Caroline Sabiri Manyange, Manager for Boundaries Delimitation, on Monday, EACC revealed that the official had forged a Master of Arts (Population Studies) degree certificate from the University of Nairobi awarded on May 9, 2004, and used it to obtain a promotion at IEBC.

Following the arrest, a section of Kenyans questioned the reports by the commission since the suspect's academic credentials shared online showed her name in the list of graduates.

EACC on Wednesday defended the arrest saying that even though the suspect enrolled for the Masters programme back in the year 2004, she never graduated as captured in one of the documents.

“Caroline went through her Master of Arts degree program in population studies at the University of Nairobi and her name was included in the graduation list, the University did not clear her for graduation due to an unresolved disciplinary issue involving research funds. She was, therefore, not conferred with the degree,” EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi noted.

The commission revealed Caroline instead forged a degree certificate purporting it was genuinely awarded by UoN and used the same to secure a job at IEBC.

She later used the same fake degree to register for a PhD Program at the same University, which was used to secure a promotion at the elective body and subsequently earned her a cumulative salary and benefits amounting to over Ksh.37 million.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has already given a nod to EACC that the suspect be charged with the offences of forgery contrary to section 345 as read with section 349 of the Penal Code and uttering a false document contrary to section 353 of the Penal Code.

EACC insists that the accrued wealth equates to ‘proceeds of crime’ and thus it will petition to recover the wealth.

In light of the case, EACC noted that there are currently over 2,000 Government officials with cases of forgery of academic certificates either in court or under investigation.