Former Nairobi senatorial aspirant Gabriel Bukachi Chapia has been convicted for forging academic certificates and fraudulently acquiring millions in public funds.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Chapia was found guilty last Friday at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Law Courts after entering a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of forgery of academic certificates under the Penal Code and two counts of fraudulent acquisition of public property, contrary to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
The court sentenced him to two-and-a-half years in prison or a fine of Sh30,000 on each count, totaling Sh150,000.
He was further ordered to refund Sh182,751 earned while working at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Sh3.3 million received from the Kenya Investment Authority, together with 12 percent interest — bringing the total repayment to Sh3.9 million.
EACC said it began investigating Chapia in May 2017 after receiving reports that the 2017 ODM Nairobi senatorial candidate had falsified academic qualifications.
The probe established that he forged a Master’s degree in Information Technology from Daystar University, a Computer Science degree from Maseno University, and several diplomas and short courses from the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.
Chapia allegedly used the documents to secure jobs at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in 2009 as ICT Manager, at the Kenya Investment Authority in 2010 for the same position, and at Nairobi City County in 2014 as Ward Administrator.
The conviction comes after a contentious bid by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in October 2024 to terminate the case under section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code, despite 14 witnesses already having testified.
EACC opposed the application, arguing that it was against public interest and would undermine the fight against corruption. The court agreed, declining to halt the trial and allowing it to proceed to conclusion.
