A Former Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) employee has been fined Ksh14.6 million after being found guilty of defrauding the public utility company.
In a statement on Friday, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said Lawrence Masinde Barasa, a former ICT Assistant at NCWSC, was convicted by the Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court for fraudulently acquiring public funds amounting to Ksh7,123,963 using a forged academic certificate.
Nairobi Anti-Corruption Principal Magistrate Hon. Charles Ondieki found Barasa guilty on three counts relating to the fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal.
The court heard that Barasa had forged a Diploma in Information Technology certificate purportedly issued by the Eldoret Polytechnic, which he used to secure employment at NCWSC.
Through this position, he unlawfully obtained over Ksh7.1 million in salaries and benefits.
In his ruling, Ondieki fined Barasa Sh100,000 for the first count of fraudulent acquisition of public property and imposed a mandatory fine of Sh14,347,926, equivalent to twice the amount illegally obtained, as provided for under the law. In default of paying these fines, Barasa will serve a total of two years’ imprisonment.
On the second count of forgery, the accused was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. However, he was convicted on the third count of uttering a false document and fined Sh100,000 or serve one year in prison in default.
For the fourth count of deceiving a principal, Barasa was similarly fined Sh100,000, with a default sentence of one year’s imprisonment.
The court directed that all default sentences would run consecutively. Barasa was informed of his right to appeal both the conviction and the sentence within 14 days from the date of judgment.
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