Veteran Employee Nabbed After Two-Year Hunt for Alleged Forged KCSE Certificate
A 54-year-old man faces fraud and false document charges after a Kenya Railways audit exposed grade alterations.
After a two-year extensive investigation, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives have apprehended Awange Oscar Akoth, 54, in Changamwe, Mombasa County. His arrest stems from allegations that he used a falsified Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate to secure employment at a prominent state corporation, Kenya Railways Corporation.
The alleged deception came to light during a routine certificate authentication exercise initiated by Kenya Railways Corporation. During this audit, Mr. Akoth's KCSE certificate, purportedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) in 1993 and bearing certificate number 624785, was flagged for further scrutiny.
Subsequent verification by KNEC conclusively determined the document to be fraudulent. Investigators detailed that grades for three subjects on the certificate had been illicitly upgraded from a D (Plain) to a C (Plain), consequently elevating the overall mean grade from D+ (Plus) to a C (Plain).
Following the completion of their meticulous investigation, DCI officers submitted their findings to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The ODPP, after reviewing the evidence, directed that Mr. Akoth face two specific charges: Uttering a False Document, an offense under Section 353 of the Penal Code, and Fraudulent Acquisition of Public Property, contrary to Section 45(1)(a) of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (ACECA).
This arrest underscores the ongoing efforts by Kenyan authorities to combat corruption and uphold integrity within public service, a critical focus for governance across East Africa. Cases of certificate forgery not only compromise the quality of public institutions but also undermine fair employment practices, impacting trust in state corporations and the education system.
Authorities confirmed that Mr. Akoth had previously evaded capture, necessitating a prolonged manhunt that culminated in his apprehension in Changamwe. He is currently undergoing processing and is expected to be arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts soon. (Information for this report was initially carried by TUKO.)