A former employee of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) has been charged at the Kakamega Anti-Corruption Court over allegations of forging academic documents to secure employment and fraudulently earning more than Ksh7.5 million in salaries and benefits.
In a statement on Wednesday, May 13, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said the suspect, Florah Lipesa Koloba, was arrested and arraigned before the Kakamega Law Courts on Tuesday, May 12.
The agency said the accused is facing charges of forgery, uttering a false document, deceiving a principal, and fraudulent acquisition of public property amounting to Ksh7,584,574, which prosecutors say she earned during her employment at the university.
In their statement, the commission detailed the alleged forged documents and how they were reportedly used to obtain employment.
"Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) established that the suspect, Ms. Florah Lipesa Koloba, allegedly forged a Diploma certificate in Community Health Nursing from Kenya Medical Training College, a Nursing Certificate from the Nursing Council, and a KCSE certificate from Matende Secondary School. She is accused of using the forged documents to obtain employment at MMUST," the statement read in part.
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The commission stated that after completing investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for review and approval of charges.
"Upon conclusion of investigations, the Commission forwarded the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who concurred with the recommendation to institute criminal proceedings against the suspect," the statement added.
According to EACC, the accused denied all charges during her court appearance and was released on bail pending further proceedings.
"The accused denied all charges and was released on a cash bail of Ksh500,000 or a bond of Ksh1 million with a surety of a similar amount," the statement further read.
The matter is scheduled to be mentioned on May 28, 2026, for pre-trial directions and the fixing of a hearing date.
The EACC also indicated that it plans to pursue recovery of the money allegedly obtained through the fraudulent scheme.
"The Commission will, in addition to criminal prosecution, institute civil proceedings to recover salaries and benefits unlawfully obtained through the use of fraudulent academic qualifications," the statement concluded.
Elsewhere, a plumber employed by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company was arrested for using a fake KCSE certificate he forged 29 years ago to secure a job.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the water artisan was charged in court for earning a total of Ksh5.9 million in salaries using the forged document.
The employee was presented at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, alongside the document he forged in 1997, and was charged with fraudulent acquisition of public property, among other charges.
"The court heard that from August 2015 to December 31, 2023, while working as an artisan at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited, the accused illegally obtained public money, totalling Ksh5,909,037.10, which was his salary earned after getting hired with a fake KCSE certificate that he claimed was issued by KNEC and that the company used to hire him.
"He was charged in Milimani Anti-Corruption Court with the offences of fraudulent acquisition of public property, forgery, uttering a false document, deceiving a principal, and presentation of a forged certificate," the statement read in part.
The DPP also charged the accused with deceiving the principal and presenting a forged document to gain employment.
According to the DPP, he presented a KCSE certificate purported to be from the Kenya National Examination Council, showing that he had attained a mean grade of C plain.
The suspect pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a KSh1 million bond with a similar surety or a cash bail of KSh300,000.
The matter will be mentioned on May 27.
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