Man charged with forgery of education documents in Kapenguria

Kapenguria Law Courts in West Pokot. [Irisheel Shanzu, Standard]

A man has been charged at Kapenguria Law Courts with forgery of educational documents, contrary to Section 357(a) of the Penal Code.

According to the charge sheet, Cyprian Kiplan'gat Cheborion, along with unidentified individuals not present in court, created a diploma certificate in medical laboratory science, falsely claiming it to be an authentic diploma from Eldoret National Polytechnic.

Kiplan'gat, a resident of Chepareria in West Pokot County, was arrested on July 3, 2023, and faced six counts of charges.

The second count accused Kiplan'gat of uttering a false document, in violation of Section 353 as read with Section 349 of the Penal Code.

The charge sheet stated that on March 29, 2023, in Kapenguria, within West Pokot County, the accused knowingly and fraudulently presented a forged diploma certificate with admission number 2017/08/01/0001, under the name Cheborion Kiplan'gat Cyprian, to Mr. Daniel Yerer Lotee, the Human Resource Officer of the County Public Service Board, falsely claiming it to be a genuine diploma certificate issued by Eldoret National Polytechnic.

On count three, the accused was charged with making a document without authority, as defined by Section 357(a) of the Penal Code.

It was alleged that, at an unknown date and place within the Republic of Kenya, in collaboration with others not present in court, and with the intention to deceive and without lawful authority, the accused created a certificate of registration with registration number A013779, dated November 20, 2017, under the name Cheborion Kiplang'at Cyprian, falsely representing it to be a genuine certificate from the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB).

On count four, on March 29, 2023, within West Pokot County, Cyprian fraudulently presented a forged certificate of registration with registration number A013779, dated November 20, 2017, under the name Cheborion Kiplan'gat Cyprian, to Mr. Daniel Yerer Lotee, the Human Resource Officer of the County Public Service Board, falsely claiming it to be a genuine certificate issued by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB).

Count five charged Cyprian with making a document without authority, in violation of Section 357(a) of the Penal Code. Cyprian, along with others, created a practice license with registration number A013779, valid until December 31, 2023, under the name Cheborion Cyprian, falsely purporting it to be a genuine certificate from KMLTTB.

On count six, Cyprian was charged with fraudulently presenting the forged practice license to the Human Resource Officer of the County Public Service Board, falsely representing it to be a genuine certificate from KMLTTB.

During the pre-trial of the case on July 18, 2023, Principal Magistrate Stella Telewa ordered the accused to be released on a bond of KES 2 million or a surety of the same amount.

The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges before Kapenguria Principal Magistrate and requested a review of the bond, which was subsequently reduced to KES 1 million without the option for cash bail.

The hearing of the case is scheduled for August 21, 2023.