The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on fake academic certificates after arresting three public officials accused of using forged documents to secure employment and unlawfully earn millions in salaries.
The suspects, identified as Joshua Attuah Omia and Thomas Mbonje Bandari of the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited (NCWSC), alongside Silas Musasa Masambu of Kaimosi Friends University, are facing charges linked to forgery and fraudulent acquisition of public funds.
In a statement released on Tuesday, May 12, EACC said investigations established that Omia and Bandari allegedly forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificates and presented them as genuine documents issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to secure employment at NCWSC.
“The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested three officials as part of an ongoing crackdown on the use of forged academic certificates,” the Commission stated.
According to EACC, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approved charges of forgery, uttering a false document, and fraudulent acquisition of public property against the two suspects after investigations were completed.
The Commission alleges that Omia fraudulently received KSh5,909,037.10 in salaries, while Bandari allegedly earned KSh9,485,177.96 through employment obtained using fake academic credentials.
The two officials were arrested on May 11 and arraigned before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, where they denied all charges. They were each released on a cash bail of KSh300,000 or a bond of KSh1 million with a surety of a similar amount. The case will be mentioned again on May 26, 2026.
In a separate case, EACC investigators established that Silas Musasa Masambu allegedly forged a Diploma certificate purportedly from Kenya College of Commerce and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree purportedly from Zetech University to secure employment at Kaimosi Friends University.
Masambu was arrested at his home in Cheptulu, Vihiga County, and processed at Kakamega Police Station ahead of his arraignment at the Kakamega Law Courts on May 13.
EACC says he fraudulently acquired KSh2,511,672 in salaries while working at the university.
The anti-graft agency further announced that, besides criminal prosecution, it will pursue civil proceedings to recover salaries, benefits, and other emoluments allegedly obtained unlawfully through forged academic qualifications.
The latest arrests come amid growing concern over the rise of fake academic credentials in public institutions, with EACC warning that more investigations and prosecutions are ongoing across the country.
