A fresh twist has emerged in the case of a senior Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) official who was arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for allegedly using a fake degree to secure employment at the electoral body for 12 years.
The anti-graft body in a statement revealed that the official in question had been arrested on Monday and subsequently arraigned in court.
“The Commission’s investigations established that the accused forged a Master of Arts (Population Studies) degree certificate purporting it to be a genuine certificate awarded by the University of Nairobi on 9th May 2004,” read a statement published by EACC.
In this new development, details have emerged that the manager did not forge a Master of Arts (Population Studies) degree from University of Nairobi contrary to allegations by EACC.
An image circulating online shows the senior official is listed among graduates with a Master of Arts in Population Studies from University of Nairobi.
Kenyans have voiced their frustrations online and have demanded the EACC to come forward and answer to this new build up of events.
By the time of publishing this article, EACC had not responded to the turn of events.
Upon her arraignment at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, the senior IEBC official had pleaded not guilty to charges of forgery contrary to section 345 as read with section 349 of the Penal Code and uttering a false document contrary to section 353 of the Penal Code.
The accused was released on a cash bail of Ksh 200,000 or a bond of Ksh one million with a surety of a similar account.
In their statement revealing her arrest, EACC claimed that through her fake academic certificates, the senior official had accumulated cumulative salary and benefits amounting to over Ksh. 37 million.
The corruption investigation body announced that numerous government officials are on their radar on the basis of using false academic certificates.
“Over 2,000 government officials are under investigation for forgery of academic certificates.”
The EACC have now responded to the new development regarding the case of the senior IEBC official accused of forging academic documents.
In a statement released on their X platform, the EACC dispute claims that the accused graduated with a Master of Arts in Population Studies from University of Nairobi.
"Investigations established that although the accused went through her Master of Arts degree program in population studies at the University of Nairobi and her name included in the graduation list, the University did not CONCLUSIVELY clear her for graduation to due to an unresolved disciplinary issue involving research funds. She was therefore, not conferred with the degree."
They claim the accused went ahead to forge the degree certificate that she used to get employment at IEBC and later enrol for a PhD program at UON.
"After failing to graduate, Caroline went ahead and made a degree certificate for herself purporting it to be a genuine degree awarded by the University of Nairobi on 9th May 2004. She thereafter used the forged degree certificate to secure a job at IEBC. Further, the suspect used the forged degree certificate to register for a PhD Program at the same university."
In addition, the Commission announced they will file civil proceedings in court to recover the Ksh. 37 million she earned as salary and benefits during her time at the electoral body.
