Two jailed for forging academic certificates

The two women have been asked to refund all salary earned on the fake certificates. [The Standard]

Two women accused of forging academic documents to gain employment have been sentenced to jail or pay their respective fines. 

The two, Pauline Otieno and Lilian Ochieng, were charged with forgery, providing false information to a public entity, deceiving a public entity, altering a false document and fraudulent acquisition of public property.

According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Otieno is accused of forging a Mt Kenya University degree certificate while Lillian forged both a diploma and degree certificate from the Kenya Institute of Management (KISM).

“They were employed at the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation in 2018,” EACC said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Otieno will be jailed for two years six months or pay Sh228,698 while Ochieng will get three years six months or pay Sh271,901.

The commission added that the duo also worked as casual laborers for eight years, prior to joining the energy firm. 

"They were formally employed as Supplies Assistants after forging the said academic certificates. Prior to investigations, they had served for two months," EACC said.

They have also been asked to refund all salary earned on the fake certificates.