The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) has denied reports that it has offered an amnesty to academic fraudsters.
In a statement, EACC says it will only discontinue cases of recovering wealth acquired from the government using forged papers, but will not stop the commission from recommending criminal prosecution of the suspects.
The wealth recovery cases, according to EACC, can only be discontinued if suspects offer to return wealth acquired through fake papers through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms.
Also Read:
"EACC is not aware of the “amnesty offer”. To ensure accurate and contextual reporting of technical issues, writers are encouraged to, where necessary, seek more information and/or clarifications from the Commission to avoid misleading the public. In this case, although the law permits EACC to use Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), this is only limited to civil matters, such as in the recovery of public property lost or stolen through corrupt conduct," EACC stated.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the use of the ADR mechanism by EACC does not necessarily stop the Commission from recommending criminal prosecution of the suspects. For instance, salaries and benefits earned by public officials on the basis of forged academic qualifications are recoverable in full. If a suspect engages the Commission for ADR to voluntarily surrender what they have earned over the years, it is only the civil recovery cases that will not continue. Contrary to the impression created in the said story, ADR by EACC does not extinguish criminal culpability."
The local daily had quoted North Rift EACC Regional Manager Charles Rasugu, who had promised that employees who surrender the salaries earned illegally are going to be forgiven and their cases withdrawn.
"We have recently realised that there are so many civil servants in this region who have been earning salaries for many years using forged academic papers. We are appealing to those employees to surrender the salaries earned illegally and we are going to forgive them and withdraw cases against them,” Rasugu said as quoted by Business Daily.
EACC arrests academic fraud suspects
Recently, the anti-graft watchdog has arrested several suspects working in government offices suspected to have used forged academic documents to secure employment.
Those arrested include Eunice Ngima Gachugi, a Supply Chain Management Officer at the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), who is said to have forged a Diploma in Business Information and Technology from Kenya Methodist University.
In February, Dennis Thuo Kimani, a supply chain management officer attached to REREC was arrested for allegedly having a forged degree certificate.
The commission also arrested the ward administrator for Marsabit Central Halkano Dabasso on February 26 for allegedly having fake academic certificates.
In December 2023, EACC called for the suspension of Roads Superintendent Engineer Kenneth Kamumu Mugo over forgery-related charges.
