A former Revenue Collection Officer at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited (NCWSC) has been convicted by the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court for fraudulently obtaining public employment using a forged university degree certificate, resulting in the unlawful acquisition of millions of shillings in public funds.
Okandah William John, a former employee of the water utility, used a fake Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Option) degree certificate which he claimed was from the University of Nairobi to get employed at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited.
According to Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the fake recruitment allowed him to get a total amount of KSh 4, 749 597 as salaries and benefits during the period spanning from September 3, 2016 to November 30, 2023.
Milimani Anti-Corruption Court found the accused guilty on various counts of fraudulently acquiring public property, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal.
The court sentenced him to pay a mandatory fine
of KSh 4, 749, 597 corresponding to the sum he illegality gained, the defendant could spend the maximum period of two years in jail at the least if he refuses to pay the fine voluntarily.
He was Also fined KSh 100, 000 for each of the three charges: fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal, which the court ordered to run concurrently.
EACC said this conviction is proof of its determination to not only safeguard the public purse but also to uphold integrity in the public service by cracking down on the fraudulent use of qualifications by those seeking jobs in public bodies.
The commission reminded people that it still keeps its doors open to deal with persons who engage in the fraudulent production of academic credentials just to secure a job in public entities.
