Detectives and education regulators halted a weekend graduation ceremony in Changamwe, Mombasa County, on what authorities described as an illegal conferment of degrees by an unaccredited institution.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters’ Serious Crime Unit (SCU), working jointly with officers from the Commission for University Education (CUE), stopped the ceremony at Victory International Church, where Menorah Training Institute had organised a graduation event that was already underway.
According to police, the organisers were unable to produce mandatory accreditation documents from CUE, raising immediate concerns over the legality of the qualifications being awarded.
Caps had already been tossed in the air and families had gathered to celebrate, but officers swiftly brought the ceremony to an end.
“Preliminary investigations established that Menorah Training Institute is registered under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) and is only licensed to offer courses up to diploma level,” the DCI said in a statement.
“Despite this, the institution had planned to graduate five candidates at master’s level and 17 others at the degree level.”
Further scrutiny linked the ceremony to Dominion Mission Theological University Global, an institution reportedly based in Ghana, whose officials were also unable to present documentation authorising the award of Kenyan-recognised degrees.
As a result, six officials were arrested and taken into police custody. Police said the suspects are being processed and will be arraigned in court as investigations continue.
The incident is the latest in an ongoing crackdown by CUE and law enforcement agencies on illegal universities and academic fraud, a problem that has persisted despite repeated public warnings.
Over the years, the commission has flagged dozens of institutions operating without charters, offering degrees and postgraduate qualifications that are not recognised in Kenya.
CUE has consistently warned that only universities accredited through a rigorous legal process are authorised to award degrees.
“Any institution offering degree or postgraduate programmes without CUE approval is acting illegally, and any certificates issued are invalid,” the commission has previously stated.
Education experts say such schemes prey on unsuspecting students eager to advance their careers, often charging hefty fees for qualifications that later prove useless. Victims frequently discover the truth when employers or professional bodies reject their papers.
As investigations into the Changamwe incident continue, authorities have urged Kenyans to exercise caution.
“Members of the public are advised to always verify the accreditation status of institutions with CUE before enrolling,” police said.
