IGNORED ACQUITAL? Court Fines Ksh5M To Former Gov’t Employee For Forged Credentials
A former Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) employee has been fined Ksh5 million or sentenced to eight years in prison by Nairobi’s Anti-Corruption Court.
The ruling, issued on Tuesday, August 20, marked the end of a case that revealed a serious breach of public trust.
The ex-employee, an Assistant Inspector II, was found guilty of fraudulently obtaining academic certificates, which he used to gain employment at KEPHIS.
The Court heard that the individual gave false information on his job application forms.
The Anti Corruption Court sitting in Nairobi has fined former Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) employee Zinje Juma Mwadama Ksh. 5 million or serve an 8-year imprisonment term in default for fraudulent acquisition of academic certificates to secure employment at… pic.twitter.com/1kqiYpSDAD
— Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (@ODPP_KE) August 20, 2024
He claimed to have qualifications from both Baraka Agricultural College and Kilifi Institute of Agriculture, which were later proven to be completely fabricated.
Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzyoki imposed the sentence, which included a Ksh100,000 fine or a 12-month prison term for fraudulently obtaining academic certificates.
Furthermore, the Court imposed a mandatory fine of Ksh4,746,834.38—the total amount earned by the employee during his time at KEPHIS—or a five-year prison sentence in default.
The fraudulent activities occurred between June 26, 2013, and April 24, 2021, during which time the employee received a monthly salary based on forged documents.
The prosecution, led by Susan Keli, successfully demonstrated that the employee misled KEPHIS into believing he was qualified for the position, resulting in the illegal acquisition of public funds.
Aside from the major fraud conviction, the former KEPHIS employee was also convicted of two counts of providing false information to a public entity, each with a fine of Ksh200,000 or two years in prison.
These counts stem from the false declarations he made on the KEPHIS employment form.
He claimed to have a Diploma in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development and a Certificate in Agriculture with Distinction, neither of which existed.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) launched the investigation on June 8, 2021, following a complaint filed by the KEPHIS Managing Director.
The complaint raised concerns about the authenticity of the employee’s academic credentials, prompting an in-depth investigation by the EACC.
The investigation revealed that the employee had falsified not only the Diploma Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development but also a Certificate in Agriculture from the Kilifi Institute of Agriculture and a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) with a mean grade of C.
These forged documents were used to secure his job at KEPHIS, where he fraudulently earned over Ksh4.7 million in salary over the years.
After conducting extensive investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) agreed with the EACC’s findings, leading to the employee’s arrest on 12 counts of various offenses, including fraudulent acquisition of funds, false information, and forgery.
On May 25, 2023, the charges were formally brought before Milimani’s Anti-Corruption Court.
During the trial, the Court was shown evidence proving that on February 8, 2013, the employee knowingly provided false information on his KEPHIS employment application form.
This falsehood included a number of fabricated qualifications, all of which were intended to secure the job.
While the former employee was acquitted on four counts of forgery due to a lack of conclusive evidence in the chain of custody, he was found guilty on the remaining counts of fraudulent acquisition and providing false information.
The sentences will run consecutively beginning July 30, 2024, the date of the judgment.
IGNORED ACQUITAL? Court Fines Ksh5M To Former Gov’t Employee For Forged Credentials
