NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 5 – Four individuals implicated in the forgery of credentials to secure positions in the public service were presented before the Eldoret law courts on Monday as authorities intensified efforts to combat the use of fake certificates among public servants.
The suspects accused of using fake certificates to secure jobs at the the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital,have been identified as Bethwel Kipkoech, Celestine Cherop Chepsoi, Eddah Cheptanui Boit, and Jackson Kipkosgei.
“They were charged with the offences of forgery of academic certificates, making of false documents, uttering of false documents and fraudulent acquisition of public property,” the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Tuesday.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail set at Sh100,000 cash or a bond of Sh300,000.
In a related incident on February 15, another individual accused of using forged certificates to secure a job in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was also brought before the Eldoret law courts.
Joash Kimurgor Kirwa was apprehended on February 14 in Waitaluk location within Trans Nzoia county.
Investigations revealed that Kirwa had forged a Moi University degree certificate and academic transcripts to obtain employment with the Ministry of Education State Department for TVET.
He faced five counts of forgery and pleaded not guilty, subsequently being released on a cash bail of Sh200,000.
The move is part of an ongoing crackdown on fraudulent activities within the public service.
This initiative gained momentum after the Public Service Commission submitted a report highlighting 1,280 cases of forged certificates from 91 public institutions and 787 from various ministries, state departments, and agencies to the DCI and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for further action.
