NAIROBI, Kenya — A Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) employee has been fined Sh8.5 million by the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court after being found guilty of using a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate to secure employment.
Felix Ojwang Balamu, who joined the company in 2011, was convicted on three counts: fraudulent acquisition of public property, deceiving a principal, and presenting a forged academic certificate.
According to investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Balamu presented a fake KCSE certificate purporting it to be genuine and issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), enabling him to draw salaries amounting to Sh8.24 million over the years.
Delivering judgment on October 10, 2025, Senior Principal Magistrate Selesa Okore ordered Balamu to pay a total fine of Sh8,543,562 — equivalent to the unlawfully earned salary — or serve four years in prison in default.
The court’s ruling came after EACC established that Balamu’s certificate could not be verified by KNEC and that his recruitment had been based on false documentation.
In a statement following the ruling, the EACC welcomed the decision, saying it demonstrated the Judiciary’s firm stance against corruption and academic fraud in the public sector.
“This judgment reinforces the Commission’s commitment to protecting public resources and promoting integrity within public institutions. Those who secure jobs through deceit and forgery will be held accountable and compelled to repay every shilling earned unlawfully,” EACC said.
The anti-graft body has, in recent months, intensified investigations into cases of forged academic qualifications among public servants, particularly within parastatals and county governments.
Under Section 45 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003, it is an offence to fraudulently acquire public property, with penalties including a fine equal to the value of the unlawfully obtained benefit or imprisonment of up to 10 years.
The ruling adds to a growing list of convictions targeting individuals who falsify credentials to secure public employment — a malpractice the EACC says undermines meritocracy and service delivery in government institutions.
