NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21-Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission have arrested a former employee of the Office of the Auditor General as part of an ongoing crackdown on the use of forged academic certificates in public service employment.
The suspect, Mercy Akinyi Ofuwa, is accused of using a fake Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate to secure employment at the Office of the Auditor General.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the anti-graft agency said investigations established that Ofuwa allegedly forged KCSE academic documents purportedly issued by Umina Secondary School and used them during her application for employment at the state office.
“Upon conclusion of investigations, the Commission forwarded the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved charges of forgery, uttering a false document, and fraudulent acquisition of public property amounting to Sh5,838,790, being salaries allegedly earned by the suspect during her employment at the OAG,” EACC said.
According to the Commission, the amount represents salaries and benefits allegedly received by the suspect while serving at the Office of the Auditor General using the forged academic qualifications.
The suspect has since been released on a cash bail of Sh50,000 pending her arraignment in court.
EACC further said it will institute civil proceedings aimed at recovering all salaries, allowances and benefits allegedly earned fraudulently by the accused during her tenure in public service.
The arrest comes amid intensified efforts by the anti-corruption agency to root out individuals suspected of using forged academic and professional documents to secure employment and promotions in public institutions.
