The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has received enquiries from various media platforms regarding the arrest and arraignment of Caroline Sabiri Manyange, the IEBC Manager, who used a forged master’s degree certificate to secure employment at the agency.
Most of those seeking clarifications on the matter allude to the presence of Caroline Sabiri Manyange’s name in the graduation list and the availability of a master’s degree thesis under her name in the university library and portal.
The Commission provided additional details about the arrest of the IEBC official, who now holds a PHD from the University of Namibia.
Investigations revealed that, despite Caroline Sabiri Manyange completing her Master of Arts degree program in population studies at the University of Nairobi and having her name on the graduation list, the university denied her graduation due to an unresolved disciplinary issue involving research funds. Therefore, the university did not confer the degree on her.
Caroline, having failed to graduate, proceeded to fabricate a degree certificate for herself, presenting it as a legitimate award from the University of Nairobi on 9th May 2004.
She thereafter used the forged degree certificate to secure a job at IEBC. Further, the suspect used the forged degree certificate to register for a PhD program at the same university.
She studied for her PhD, and she successfully completed her course as a PhD graduate.
Consequently, upon the DPP’s concurrence with the Commission’s recommendation for prosecution, Caroline was arrested on Monday and charged with forgery and uttering a false document contrary to the law.
Additionally, the Commission plans to start civil proceedings in court to reclaim the KES 37 million she earned in salary and benefits, based on the forged degree certificate, as proceeds of criminal activity.
Caroline is among over 2,000 government officials with cases of forgery of academic certificates either in court or under investigations by EACC.
Forgery of academic certificates by students who have not graduated is among the common forms of academic fraud in the country.
