A Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company employee has been ordered to pay Ksh7.5 million in compensation and fines after being convicted of using a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate to secure employment.
The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court convicted Kelly Gichuri Muiruri, a driver at the company, on four counts relating to fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, deceiving a principal and presenting a forged certificate.
In a judgment delivered on October 29, 2026, Principal Magistrate Celesa Okore found that Muiruri presented a KCSE certificate indicating that he had attained a mean grade of C plain in the 2002 examinations, whereas he had actually scored a D plain.
However, the court acquitted him of the separate charge of forgery.
The case arose from investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) following a report that Muiruri had used a forged academic certificate to secure employment at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC).
Upon completing its investigations, the commission forwarded the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with recommendations for prosecution.
In its ruling, the court ordered Muiruri to pay Ksh6,742,673 in compensation for salaries he received between November 2016 and December 2023. The court directed that he would serve four years in prison if he failed to pay the compensation.
Additionally, Magistrate Okore imposed fines totalling Ksh800,000 across the four counts. The fines comprised Ksh300,000 for fraudulent acquisition of public property, with 12 months’ imprisonment in default.
He was also fined Ksh200,000 for uttering a false document, with eight months’ imprisonment in default, and another Ksh200,000 for deceiving a principal, also attracting eight months’ imprisonment in default.
A further Ksh100,000 fine was imposed for presenting a forged certificate, with eight months’ imprisonment in default. The court directed that the default prison terms attached to the four fines run consecutively.
The total amount payable in compensation and fines therefore stands at Ksh7,542,673.
Following the judgment, EACC urged employers to verify academic and professional qualifications as part of their recruitment procedures to safeguard public resources and uphold integrity in public service.
The judgment came as the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court also made progress in a separate Ksh283.2 million Nairobi cemetery land scandal involving 12 accused persons. On October 27, 2026, Principal Magistrate Celesa Okore ruled that the 12 accused persons had a case to answer and placed them on their defence.
The defence hearing is scheduled for January 25–29, 2027, in Milimani Anti-Corruption Case No. 19 of 2010.
The accused are Sammy Kipng’etich Kirui, Mary Ngechi Ng’ethe, Alexander Musanga Musee, Maina Chege, Naen Rech Limited, Newton Omondi Osiemo, Alphonce Mutinda, Paul Chapia Onduso, Davies Odero Osiemo, Joseph Owino K’ojwando, Daniel Mulwa Nguku and Herman Stevens Chavera.
They face various charges, including conspiracy to commit corruption, fraudulent acquisition and disposal of public property, and fraudulent practices in procurement proceedings.
However, proceedings against the second accused, Mary Ngechi Ng’ethe, are subject to a stay granted by the Court of Appeal pending determination of the matter before the superior court.
The case stems from allegations of a scheme to defraud the Ministry of Local Government and the defunct City Council of Nairobi of public funds intended for the purchase of land to be used as a public cemetery.
According to EACC investigations, the accused allegedly conspired between December 2008 and April 2009 to defraud the two institutions of Ksh283.2 million by presenting the amount as the purchase price for land parcel L.R. No. 14759/2, purportedly intended for use as a public cemetery.
Investigations established that various accused persons allegedly acquired different sums of public money in February 2009, ranging from Ksh8 million to Ksh281.3 million.
The commission further established that the accused allegedly disposed of Ksh117 million belonging to the City Council of Nairobi and the Ministry of Local Government, purportedly presenting the amount as proceeds from the sale of the cemetery land by Naen Rech Limited.
EACC welcomed the court’s finding that the accused persons had a case to answer, stating that it would continue supporting the prosecution in accordance with its mandate as the matter proceeds.
The 12 accused persons remain presumed innocent until proved guilty.
