The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has called for the suspension of Roads Superintendent Engineer Kenneth Kamumu Mugo over forgery-related charges.
In a letter addressed to Roads Principal Secretary (PS) Engineer Joseph Mbugua, the anti-graft agency alleged that Mugo has been using forged certificates to secure employment.
The commission also accused Mugo of fraudulently acquiring public property and uttering a false document contrary to section 352 of the constitution.
“The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has written to the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Roads and Transport requiring him to suspend ‘Engineer’ Kenneth Kamumbu Mugo, currently Superintendent Engineer of Roads, at the State Department of Roads in the Ministry of Roads and Transport, who the Commission found to have forged his Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering purporting it to be issued by the University of Nairobi in 2006,” the commission said.
According to the commission which now seeks administrative action against Mugo, the forgery allegations against Mugo were first reported in 2016.
The commission, however, began investigations on the allegations in 2017, and at the time, they discovered that Mugo had forged a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Nairobi, Class of 2006.
The issue was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions who gave the green light for the suspect to be charged.
"The commission received a complaint that Mr. Kenneth Mugo, who was by then the Director of Roads and Transport at Kiambu County Government between April 2016 and August 2018, used forged academic certificates to gain employment at Kiambu County Government.
"The Commission conducted investigations and established that the officer used forged certificates to gain employment. The file was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions who gave consent to charge Mr. Kenneth Maumbu Mugo. The officer was subsequently arrested and charged before Kiambu Anti-Corruption Court Criminal Case No. MCCR/E3456/2023 on 15th December," EACC said.
After the revelations, the suspect resigned from his job at the Kiambu County Government in 2018 but he was later appointed to the Ministry of Roads in 2020.
EACC also uncovered that the suspect used a fake certificate to enrol for a Post-Graduate Certificate in Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit at JKUAT in 2009.
He subsequently acquired a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Legislation and Management awarded in 2012 and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in Environmental Technology at the same institution.
After learning of his forgery, JKUAT discontinued him from his PhD studies and withdrew his Masters and Postgraduate Certificates which had already been awarded to him.
The suspect was arrested and arraigned in court where he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a cash bail of Ksh500,000
The case will be mentioned in court on January 15, 2024.
