The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has stepped up its efforts to eliminate fake academic certificates in public institutions after arraigning a former Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) employee accused of using a forged KCSE certificate to secure employment.
According to a statement by the EACC, Ms. Asembo Babra Gladys allegedly falsified her academic credentials and used them to gain employment as an ICT Assistant, earning more than Sh6.2 million in salaries and benefits over time.
The agency said she was arrested at her hideout in Nairobi and charged before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court.
EACC said investigations revealed that the KCSE certificate presented by the suspect was not authentic, despite bearing the name of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
The findings prompted the Commission to forward the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved her prosecution.
Court records show Ms. Asembo faces several counts, including fraudulent acquisition of public funds, deception of a principal under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, and forgery under the Penal Code.
She denied the charges and was released on a Sh1 million bond with two sureties of a similar amount.
The suspect had earlier been arrested on September 3, 2025, and freed on a cash bail of Sh25,000, but she failed to appear for her scheduled court session two days later. A warrant of arrest was issued on September 17 after she went into hiding.
Cases involving fake academic documents have drawn increasing attention from oversight bodies, with the EACC warning that such fraud undermines professionalism and service delivery in government institutions.
Similar cases have previously been reported in county governments and parastatals, where employees were found to have used forged papers to secure jobs or promotions.
EACC reiterated its commitment to ensuring integrity in public service hiring, saying all public bodies should conduct regular verification of staff academic qualifications to prevent similar incidents.