Lilian Nyiva
A former employee of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), Okandah William John, has been ordered to pay a fine of Sh5,049,597 or serve a custodial sentence after being convicted of using a forged university degree certificate to secure employment and unlawfully earning millions of shillings in public funds.
The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court found Okandah guilty of fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, and deceiving a principal. However, the court acquitted him on a separate charge of forgery after ruling that the prosecution had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that he personally forged the degree certificate.
Fraudulent Employment
According to court proceedings, Okandah secured employment as a Revenue Collection Assistant at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company on August 3, 2016, after presenting a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Option) degree certificate purportedly issued by the University of Nairobi. He remained in the position until November 2023.
Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) established that the academic certificate was not genuine. During a verification exercise conducted by the company, the University of Nairobi confirmed that it had never admitted Okandah to the programme, and his name did not appear in the institution's student or graduation records. The university also noted that the graduation date shown on the certificate did not match any official graduation ceremony held in 1998.
Sh4.75 Million Earned in Salaries
Evidence presented before the court showed that Okandah received a total of Sh4,749,597 in salaries and benefits while serving at the public utility company between 2016 and 2023. The court ruled that the money constituted public property obtained through unlawful means because the employment was secured using false academic credentials.
Court's Sentence
For the offence of fraudulent acquisition of public property, the court ordered Okandah to pay a mandatory fine equivalent to the amount unlawfully received—Sh4,749,597—or serve a prison term in default. He was also fined Sh100,000 for each of the additional offences of uttering a false document and deceiving a principal, bringing the total financial penalty to Sh5,049,597. The default custodial sentences are to run concurrently.
