Former Machakos chief officer charged over forged certificates

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 1-A former Machakos County chief officer has been charged with allegedly using forged academic certificates to secure a senior government position from which he earned more than Sh1.5 million in public funds.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said the former official was arrested on August 31, 2026, and arraigned at the Machakos Law Courts on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The former Chief Officer for Industry and Innovation allegedly used a forged Bachelor of Commerce degree certificate and a fake Certified Public Accountants (CPA) Final Examination Certificate to secure his appointment.

According to EACC investigations, the Bachelor of Commerce certificate, in Accounting, was purportedly issued by the University of Nairobi in 2004, while the CPA Final Examination Certificate was dated June 2019.

“The Commission further established that he used the certificates to secure appointment as Chief Officer, Industry and Innovation, a position he held from January to November 2023,” EACC said.

During his tenure, the former official earned salaries totalling Sh1,585,967.90, which EACC now intends to recover through civil proceedings.

The Commission said its investigations established that the academic qualifications presented by the former official were fraudulent.

The Director of Public Prosecutions approved three charges after EACC forwarded its inquiry file: fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document and forgery of academic certificates.

The court granted the accused cash bail of Sh1 million, or an alternative bond of Sh2 million with a surety of a similar amount.

EACC said it will separately institute civil proceedings seeking recovery of the salaries and other benefits allegedly obtained through the use of the fraudulent academic qualifications.