Ex-manager charged with Sh1.5m fraud in fake academic papers case
Nick Oluoch, formerly of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), allegedly used forged academic papers to secure his job.
A former manager of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) was charged on Wednesday with the fraudulent acquisition of public property after earning Sh1,455,066 in five months.
Noah Oluoch, the general manager for finance, received that amount as his salary between April 1 and August 31, 2022.
Oluoch was suspended after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) started investigating him for allegedly using forged academic papers to secure the job.
He is charged with violating Section 45 (1) (a), as read with Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act of 2003.
Oluoch is facing two more charges of forgery, in line with Section 345 of that law, as read with Section 349 of the Penal Code, and uttering a false document in contravention of Section 353 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The ex-manager is accused of forging a certificate for a Master's in Business Administration (MBA), claiming it was a genuine document issued by the University of Nairobi.
The prosecution says he knowingly and fraudulently uttered the forged certificate to REREC Chief Executive Officer Peter Mbungua on March 23, 2021, with intent to commit fraud.
Oluoch denied the charges before Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki and pleaded to be granted a cash bail of Sh70,000.
He claimed he had been released on free bail during the period the EACC was investigating the matter and had complied with all summonses issued.
Prosecution Counsel Caroline Kimiri opposed Oluch's prayer, urging the court to consider the gravity of the offences.
She suggested a cash bail of Sh500,000 and urged the court to confiscate Oluoch's travel documents, restraining him from leaving the country.
Nzioki granted the suspect a Sh1 million bond with a surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Sh500,000.
The magistrate ordered Oluoch to surrender his passports and inform the court of his travel plans in advance.
The case will be mentioned on April 17.
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