The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested four public
officers working with fake academic certificates.
The arrest was conducted in the ongoing crackdown on fake academic and
professional certificates in the country.
The four were arrested on Wednesday and were later processed at the EACC Integrity Centre
Police Station before being escorted to Court.
The Commission's Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi confirmed that the arrested
suspects worked in various firms including the Independent Electoral and
Boundaries Commission, the Commission on Revenue Allocation, the Micro and
Small Enterprises Authority and at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage
Company.
The arrest comes at a time when EACC has raised alarm over the rise over the upsurge of cases of individuals using fake academic papers to secure
government jobs.
In its quarterly report, the cases have been on the rise with a large
number of Kenyans using fake degrees and diploma certificates to get high-profile jobs contrary to Chapter Six of the Constitution.
The EACC has recently intensified its hunt for public officers holding fake academic papers. This has seen several persons arrested and arraigned.
According to the EACC's report, which covers investigations conducted
between April 1 and June 30 this year, the offenders are employed in
various government-run institutions, including schools, colleges,
parastatals, county governments, and even the IEBC.
An audit report by the Public Service Commission across 331 government
institutions shows that more than 2,000 Kenyans used fake academic and
professional documents to get jobs in different ministries and
parastatals.
The list comprised officers from the State Department for Internal
Security and National Administration with 103 forged academic
certificates including 78 Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC)
certificates, two forged degree certificates and 23 fake diploma
certificates.
Some of the high-profile state officers under investigation include
sitting Members of Parliament, top county officers, nominated
legislatures, parastatal heads and medical officers who either forged
documents or assisted in the employment of officers without the necessary
academic credentials.
