EACC arrests senior IEBC official over alleged forgery of academic certificate

A senior official at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for allegedly using forged academic certificate to secure her employment.

EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi confirmed that Caroline Sabiri Manyange, the Manager for Boundaries Delimitation, who has been in employment for over 12 years, was taken into custody at her home in Nairobi West on Monday.

Investigations by the EACC revealed that Sabiri had forged a Master of Arts degree in Population Studies, purportedly issued by the University of Nairobi on May 9, 2004.

According to the Commission, the forged degree allowed her to secure a promotion at IEBC, enabling her to earn over Sh37 million in cumulative salaries and benefits, which the Commission described as the fraudulent acquisition of public property.

“Investigations established that Caroline Sabiri Manyange forged a Master of Arts (Population Studies) degree certificate purporting it to be a genuine certificate awarded by the University of Nairobi on May 9, 2004, and subsequently used the same to obtain a promotion at IEBC thereby earning a cumulative salary and benefits amounting to over Sh37 million, which constitutes a fraudulent acquisition of public property,” the Commission said.

The arrest followed approval from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who agreed with the EACC's recommendation to charge Sabiri with forgery, contrary to section 345 as read with section 349 of the Penal Code and uttering a false document, in violation of section 353 of the Penal Code.

Civil proceedings

In addition to the criminal charges, EACC has announced plans to initiate civil proceedings to recover the Sh37 million that Sabiri earned through the use of fake academic qualifications.

She was escorted to the EACC Integrity Centre Police Station, where she is being detained pending her arraignment at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court.

This incident comes amid a broader call from the EACC for professionals in Kenya to stop using their skills and expertise to facilitate corruption.

EACC Director of Ethics and Leadership, John Lolkoloi, recently highlighted the role that professionals such as accountants and lawyers have played in major corruption scandals involving public funds.

Speaking in Mombasa during the official launch of ICPAK’s Annual Governance & Ethics Conference, Lolkoloi urged professionals to use their knowledge for the public good instead of enabling actions harmful to society.

He noted that other professionals involved in corruption schemes include engineers, land valuers, surveyors, bankers, IT experts, and procurement specialists.

Lolkoloi called on professional bodies to strengthen self-regulation by promoting integrity and accountability among their members, warning against being conduits for corrupt practices.

Regarding the prevalence of fake academic certificates in public service, Lolkoloi said the EACC has directed all public institutions to authenticate the academic and professional credentials of job applicants.

He noted that the commission is currently investigating over 2,000 public officers suspected of holding fake academic certificates and intends to continue pursuing civil suits to recover all unlawfully earned salaries and benefits.