Four former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) officials are on the radar of investigative agencies after it was established that they forged certificates to gain employment at the electoral agency and earned over Ksh35 million.
One of the officials whose details were gazetted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Friday is said to have forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education(KCSE) and degree certificates to secure employment as a Clerical Officer with the IEBC.
According to EACC, the official launched a crackdown on the officer after allegations were filed with them urging for an investigation after it emerged that the certificates were not genuine.
''The Commission received a report on allegations that an employee of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Certificate from Namboboto Secondary School and a degree certificate from Egerton University to secure employment as a clerical officer,'' read part of the notice from EACC.
Upon conducting investigations, the EACC determined that, according to records from the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and Egerton University, the suspect had neither attended the institutions nor sat for the examinations as claimed.
Further, the suspect also deceived his employer about his academic qualifications through the information he submitted in his personal records form. During his employment, he fraudulently earned a salary of Ksh13,022,402.
The EACC has now recommended that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Igonga, charge the suspect in court. Following this recommendation, on December 18, 2024, the DPP reviewed the inquiry file and approved prosecution.
The Commission also recommended the filing of a civil suit to recover Ksh13,022,402 as salaries fraudulently earned by the suspect.
Further, on the radar of the commission is another suspect who serves as an Assistant Election Officer who also forged academic credentials to secure employment at the IEBC.
''The Commission received a report on allegations that an employee of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) used a forged KCSE certificate from St. Claire Girls Secondary school
to secure employment as an assistant election officer,'' a notice from EACC added.
Upon commencement of investigations, it was established that according to KNEC, the KCSE certificate was not genuine. During the employment, the suspect fraudulently earned a salary of Ksh11,650,056.
Additionally, the EACC is also looking into a third individual who is accused of using fake academic credentials to obtain a job at the electoral agency.
The commission reports that the suspect submitted a counterfeit KCSE from Naari Secondary School to be hired as an Assistant Election Officer, a role that mandates a legitimate KCSE certificate.
Following an investigation, the EACC found that the certificate was not authentic according to the records from the KNEC. During the suspect's service at IEBC, the suspect unlawfully received a total salary of Ksh11,166,582.
On October 7, 2024, a report was compiled and forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with recommendations to charge the suspect with multiple offenses, including fraudulent acquisition of public property contrary to Section 45 (1) (a) as read with Section 48 of Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act(ACECA), and forgery contrary to Section 345 as read with Section 349 of the Penal Code, among others.
EACC submitted the file for formal charges to the DPP, who on November 28, 2024, returned the inquiry file with recommendations for prosecution, affirming that sufficient evidence had been gathered to support the charges against the suspect.
