‘Form 4 leaver’ arraigned for practicing as engineer, winning tender to build dorm

Ferdinand Wamalwa Wenani (pictured) was arraigned on Thursday, April 22, 2021. [Standard]

A 36-year-old man from Nairobi was on Thursday, April 22 arraigned for practicing as a qualified engineer without a valid license from the engineers’ board.

The Milimani Law Courts heard that Ferdinand Wamalwa Wenani, who studied up to Form Four, on February 14, 2018 applied for a tender to construct part of a dormitory at Kamuriai Secondary School in Teso North, Busia County.

Wamalwa presented himself to the school as a qualified engineer and the director of Starlem International Limited, the company that won the construction tender, the court was told.

Later February 2018, the 36-year-old accepted the construction work billed at Sh700,000.

He was paid Sh500,000 upfront, with a pledge that the remaining Sh200,000 would be credited to his bank account once the work was complete.

The court heard that the suspect presented himself as Engineer Ferdinand Wamalwa.

As Wamalwa was going about the work, the real owner of Starlem International Limited, Engineer Levi Okubasu, got wind that his company had won a construction tender at Kamuriai Secondary School.

Okubasu was shocked to discover that Wamalwa, who wasn’t his employee, was the one doing the construction work.

Okubasu alerted Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers who arrested the suspect after establishing that he wasn’t registered with the Engineers Board of Kenya, nor did he have a valid practicing certificate.

A background search suggested Wamalwa studied up to Form Four level, the investigating officer said.

The accused denied the charges before Nairobi Magistrate Bernard Ochoi, and was released on a Sh100,000 cash bail or a Sh400,000 bond.

The matter will be mentioned on May 6, 2021.