A Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company employee has been convicted by the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court and ordered to pay more than KSh7.5 million after using a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate to secure employment.

The employee, identified as Kelly Gichuri Muiruri, who worked as a driver at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), was convicted on four counts relating to the fraudulent use of academic qualifications.

In a judgment delivered on October 29, 2026, Magistrate Celesa Okore found Muiruri guilty of fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, deceiving a principal and presenting a forged certificate. However, he was acquitted of the separate charge of forgery.

Court proceedings established that Muiruri presented a KCSE certificate indicating that he had obtained a mean grade of C plain in the 2002 national examinations, yet his actual grade was D plain.

The case followed investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) after a report that Muiruri had fraudulently used academic credentials to obtain employment at the public utility company.

Following investigations, the commission forwarded the matter to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), recommending criminal charges.

In its ruling, the court ordered Muiruri to pay KSh6,742,673 in compensation, representing salaries he received from November 2016 to December 2023 while employed using the falsified academic certificate.

The court further directed that failure to pay the compensation would attract four years' imprisonment.

In addition to the compensation, the court imposed fines totalling KSh800,000 across the four counts on which he was convicted.

The fines were distributed as follows:

• KSh300,000 for fraudulent acquisition of public property, or 12 months' imprisonment in default.

• KSh200,000 for uttering a false document, or eight months' imprisonment in default.

• KSh200,000 for deceiving a principal, or eight months' imprisonment in default.

• KSh100,000 for presenting a forged certificate, or eight months' imprisonment in default.

The court directed that the prison terms attached to the four fines run consecutively in the event of non-payment.

The total financial liability imposed by the court amounts to KSh7,542,673, combining the compensation and fines.

The EACC has reiterated the importance of employers verifying academic and professional qualifications during recruitment to prevent individuals from obtaining public employment through fraudulent documents.

The commission noted that proper verification procedures are essential in safeguarding public resources, promoting accountability and upholding integrity in public service.

The ruling sends a strong warning to individuals who may seek to obtain public employment through falsified academic credentials, highlighting the financial and criminal consequences of such practices.