Officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corrution Commission (EACC) on Thursday, April 13, arrested a suspect who faked academic certificates to secure a job at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) as a P1 teacher.
Isaih Okombo Otieno was arrested at Nyakeyo Market, Etago area of South Mugirango Sub-County, Kisii County.
Records showed that he was employed by TSC on February 2, 2007 after presenting forged academic certificates to the commission.
Among other charges, he was accused of acquiring property worth Ksh3.3M between February 2007 and May 1, 2019, using salary and allowances as a P1 teacher yet he had no qualifications for the job.
The suspect used the names of the complainant as they appeared on certificates and falsely presented himself for employment as a P1 teacher.
He was presented to Kisii Anti-Corruption Court for judgment with 7 counts of criminal offenses.
"Isaiah Okombo Otieno: Between February 2, 2007 and February 26, 2007 at Gucha within Kisii County uttered to the Teachers Service Commission a document namely, Kenya Certificate of Primary Education serial number 1008541, a lawfully issued document to Ochoi Daudi Magero by the Kenya National Examination Council and falsely presented yourself to be the said Ochoi Daudi Magero," read part of the charge sheet.
When EACC commenced investigations, TSC undertook disciplinary proceedings leading to the dismissal of the suspect from employment.
As part of the EACC strategy to mitigate the challenge of forged academic certificates, the Commission continued to file suits and recover the salaries and benefits paid on the basis of fake academic qualifications.
Several people were previously arrested in the country due to the forgery of academic certificate cases.
In May 2022, two public servants were sentenced for alleged forgery of academic documents and ordered to refund all salaries earned with the use of fake certificates.
The duo, Pauline Otieno and Lilian Ochieng, were employees at the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation in 2018 as supply assistants.
On June 16, 2022, ten police recruits accused of using fake academic documents to be enlisted as constables in the National Police Service (NPS) were arrested while undergoing training and their courses terminated at the Kiganjo Campus.
