
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) stunned the public today with the arrest and charging of a former Registry Clerk at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) for allegedly using a counterfeit Bachelor of Commerce degree to secure employment and draw KSh 7.8 million in salary.
The case revives fierce debates on integrity in public service and enforcement of employment vetting. The accusations against the ex-clerk include forgery, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal — serious criminal offences under Kenya’s Penal Code and Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
Despite a not-guilty plea in Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, her release on KSh 80,000 cash bail places the spotlight on how public agencies verify credentials and punish fraud.
How It Unraveled: Degree, Job, and Salaries.
Investigations led by EACC revealed that the suspect presented a falsified Bachelor of Commerce certificate purportedly from the University of Nairobi to gain a position at NCWSC. Over the years, she collected pay and benefits totaling KSh 7.8 million based on that fraudulent qualification.
The case was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved the charges and deemed them sufficiently strong for court. The matter is due for mention again on October 23, 2025 as the legal battle begins its course.
Broader Pattern: More Cases in NCWSC.
This is not an isolated incident at Nairobi Water. Just 24 hours earlier, another former official from the same utility was arraigned on similar allegations for presenting a forged KCSE certificate to gain employment. That episode involved charges of forgery, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal.
Meanwhile, separate reports show another NCWSC staffer was recently convicted for using a forged Diploma in Sports Science Management from JKUAT to obtain employment. He was found guilty of uttering a false document and fined KSh 100,000 or one year in jail (if the fine is unpaid). These repeated cases suggest systemic vulnerability in the utility’s recruitment and auditing frameworks.