A former employee of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) has been handed a heavy fine of Ksh5 million or an eight-year prison sentence by the Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi. The ruling, delivered this afternoon, brings to a close a case that revealed a serious breach of public trust.

The individual, who served as an Assistant Inspector II, was found guilty of fraudulently acquiring academic certificates, which he used to secure his position at KEPHIS. The Court heard that he falsely claimed to have qualifications from Baraka Agricultural College and Kilifi Institute of Agriculture. These claims were later proven to be entirely fabricated.

Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzyoki, who presided over the case, sentenced the former employee to a fine of Ksh100,000 or 12 months in prison for fraudulently acquiring the academic certificates. Additionally, a mandatory fine of Ksh4,746,834.38—the total amount earned during his tenure at KEPHIS—was imposed, with a five-year prison term in default.

“The court must send a strong message that fraud and deceit, especially in public service, will not be tolerated,” said Chief Magistrate Nzyoki during the ruling.

The fraudulent activities occurred between June 26, 2013, and April 24, 2021, during which the employee received a salary based on forged documents. The prosecution, led by Susan Keli, successfully demonstrated that the individual had deceived KEPHIS into believing he was qualified, resulting in the wrongful acquisition of over Ksh4.7 million in public funds.

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The former KEPHIS employee was also convicted on two counts of providing false information to a public entity, each carrying a fine of Ksh200,000 or a two-year prison sentence. These charges relate to the false declarations on his employment forms, where he claimed to hold a Diploma in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development and a Certificate in Agriculture with Distinction, both of which were non-existent.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) initiated the investigation following a complaint from the KEPHIS Managing Director in June 2021. After a thorough inquiry, the EACC uncovered multiple forged documents, leading to the employee’s arrest in May 2023 on 12 counts, including forgery and fraud. While the Court acquitted him of four counts of forgery due to insufficient evidence, he was found guilty of the remaining charges.