Two former employees of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) have been convicted in separate cases involving forged academic certificates used to obtain employment and career advancement.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 7, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said the convictions stem from investigations that uncovered fraudulent academic documents presented by the two former officials.
"The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has secured the conviction of two former employees of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for using forged academic certificates to obtain and advance in public employment unlawfully," the statement read.
According to EACC, one of the cases involved Purity Mwaniki Wanja, a former IEBC Constituency Office Clerk, who was convicted by the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on July 2 after the court adopted a Plea Bargain Agreement.
The agency said she forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate purportedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
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Wanja later used the fake certificate to secure employment with the IEBC in July 2012.
"Wanja pleaded guilty to three charges of fraudulent acquisition of public property, forgery, and presenting a forged certificate," the statement added
According to EACC, the court subsequently sentenced her after accepting her guilty plea.
"The Court convicted her on her own plea of guilty and ordered her to pay a total penalty of Ksh1.6 million, comprising Ksh1.5 million as compensation and fines of Ksh50,000 each on the forgery and presenting a forged certificate charges," the statement further read.
In a separate matter, the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on June 29 convicted Luka Mukimi Musamali, another former IEBC employee, for using a forged university degree certificate to secure a promotion within the commission.
EACC investigations found that Musamali submitted a falsified academic certificate while applying for promotion from Constituency Office Clerk to Constituency Elections Assistant.
"EACC investigations established that Musamali presented a falsified Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies (Public Administration) degree certificate, purportedly issued by Moi University, in support of his application for promotion from Constituency Office Clerk to Constituency Elections Assistant," the statement noted.
After a full trial, EACC said the court found him guilty on two counts while acquitting him on another.
"Following a full trial, the Court convicted Musamali of deceiving a principal and uttering a false document but acquitted him on the charge of forgery. He was fined a total of Ksh110,000 with custodial sentences in default of payment," the statement concluded.
This comes barely a day after EACC announced that it will begin the process of recovering Ksh1.5 billion that was irregularly paid out in the controversial Ruaraka land compensation case after the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier ruling declaring the payment unlawful.
In a statement on Monday, July 6, the anti-graft agency welcomed the decision, saying it had validated its investigations into the compensation paid for land occupied by Ruaraka High School and Drive Inn Primary School.
"The judgment affirms the findings of investigations conducted by the Commission into allegations of irregular compensation relating to the portion of the land measuring 13.5 acres on which the two public schools stand," the statement read.
EACC announced that its next priority will be recovering the money that it says was unlawfully paid through the compensation arrangement.
"The Commission will now pursue the recovery of the Ksh1.5 billion unlawfully paid to Afrison Export Import Limited and Huelands Limited through Whispering Palms Estate Limited under the fraudulent compensation scheme," the statement added.
The commission further disclosed that investigations into the role played by public officials and other individuals have already been completed.
"In addition, investigations to establish criminal culpability of public officials and other individuals involved in the processing and facilitation of the irregular compensation are complete," the statement further read.
