Three arrested as EACC tightens grip on fake academic certificate crackdown

KNEC rolls out digital war on forged papers.[File,Standard]

Three people have been arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in the ongoing crackdown on the use of forged academic certificates.

The suspects, two from Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited (NCWSC), and one from Kaimosi Friends University, are accused of using fake academic documents to obtain employment in their respective institutions.

EACC, in a statement, said its investigations established that two of the suspects forged their KCSE  certificates and presented them as genuine documents issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to secure employment at NCWSC.

“Upon conclusion of investigations, the Commission forwarded the files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved charges of forgery, uttering a false document, and fraudulent acquisition of public property amounting to Sh5,909,037 and Sh9,485,177 respectively, being salaries allegedly paid to the suspects by NCWSC,” read part of the statement.

The two, EACC said, were arrested on May 11, 2026, and arraigned before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, where they denied all charges.

They were each released on a cash bail of Sh300,000 or a bond of Sh1 million with a surety of a similar amount.

The matters are scheduled for directions on May 26, 2026.

In a separate case, investigations established that the other suspect allegedly  forged a Diploma certificate purportedly from Kenya College of Commerce and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree purportedly from Zetech University, which he used to secure employment at Kaimosi Friends University.

The suspect was arrested on Tuesday at his home in Cheptulu, Vihiga County, processed at Kakamega Police Station, and will be arraigned in the Kakamega Law Courts today.

The said suspect is also facing charges of forgery, uttering a false document, and fraudulent acquisition of public property valued at Sh2,511,672, being salary paid to him by Kaimosi Friends University.