KENYA : The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a senior government official who earned millions through forged academic Credentials.
The Suspect, identified as Nick Odhiambo Migot, earned Ksh 4.6 million from the government with fake papers.
In a statement dated Tuesday, January 14, the commission noted that Migot is the former Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the Kisumu County Government.
However, he got the job by allegedly forging academic certificates. He is set to be arraigned in court on January 15, 2025, to face multiple charges related to forgery, fraud, and misuse of public resources.
The arrest, confirmed by EACC on January 14, follows months of investigation into the authenticity of Migot’s academic qualifications.
According to the anti-graft body, the suspect forged a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, purportedly issued by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Also, he presented a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate falsely attributed to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
These fake credentials were presented to the Kisumu County Public Service Board during the recruitment process, allowing him to secure the lucrative ICT director role.
Further, investigations revealed that Migot fraudulently earned a total of Ksh4,656,211 in salaries over a period of three years.
The suspect’s employment, based on falsified documents, constitutes a serious breach of public trust and financial integrity, according to EACC officials.
Following the conclusion of its investigation, EACC submitted its findings to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The DPP, after an independent review, agreed with the recommendations to prosecute Migot. He faces charges including 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.
In the wake of this arrest, the EACC has called on public institutions to strengthen their internal vetting systems to curb the submission of fake academic papers.
The Commission stressed that every Accounting Officer is responsible for ensuring thorough verification of candidates’ qualifications and immediately addressing any suspected forgery cases.
“The submission of falsified academic certificates undermines the integrity of public service and leads to the wastage of taxpayers’ money. Institutions must forward details of implicated officers to EACC for further action in line with the law,” noted EACC.
This case is the latest in a series of high-profile incidents where public servants have been found using fake qualifications to obtain lucrative government jobs.
