First victim of DCI’s pursuit for public servants reported to have used forged academic and professional certificates to secure appointments and promotions was arraigned today at Eldoret Law Courts.

Joash Kimurgor Kirwa who was wanted for the offence of Forgery of Academic Certificates vide DCI HQ INQ. 16 of 2024 was arrested yesterday at Waitaluk location within Trans Nzoia county.

Investigations that resulted in his arrest revealed that the suspect forged a Moi University degree certificate as well as academic transcripts which he used to secure employment with the Ministry of Education State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

He was today arraigned at Eldoret Law Courts in whose jurisdiction he was recruited, where five counts of forgery were preferred against him.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a Sh200,000 cash bail, with the mention for pre-trial scheduled for February 26, 2024.

The ongoing crackdown on fraudulence within the public service comes two days after the Public Service Commission handed over a report bearing 1,280 cases of forged certificates from 91 public institutions and 787 from ministries, state department and agencies to the DCI and EACC for action.

meanwhile the Ethic and Anti Corruption commission on Tuesday arrested and arraigned one Javason Kimemia Maina, an employee of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), who forged academic certificates to secure a job at the agency. Investigations established that the suspect forged a KCSE certificate from Kimuri Secondary School.

Maina was arraigned before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court after the Director of Public Prosecutions concurred with recommendations of the Commission to charge him with fraudulent acquisition of public property being Kes. 293,240.94 salary paid to him by REREC, forgery and uttering a false document.

He was released on a bond of Kes 700,000/=, surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Kenya shillings Kes. 400,000/=. The matter will be mentioned on 26th February 2024 for a pre-trial conference.

Meanwhile, the Commission is analyzing the PSC Report on Authentication of Academic and Professional Certificates to inform relevant enforcement action against the 2000 public officials who forged their academic certificates to secure employment.

The Commission will also investigate allegations it has received to the effect that some public entities didn’t not forward to the Public Service Commission all the names of their officers with forged certificates. Action will be taken against any culpable head of a state agency involved in attempts to protect academic cheats.

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