Former KenGen Official Sentenced to 11 Years for Forged Academic Documents
A former Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) official has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty of using forged academic documents to secure admission to a training institution and later employment at the power company.
David Mogire Nyabuti was convicted of fraudulently acquiring public property and uttering false documents after presenting a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate and result slip as genuine documents issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
Nyabuti used the documents to gain admission to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) Training School, now known as the Institute of Energy Studies and Research, before securing employment at KenGen.
KSh14.9 Million in Salaries and Benefits
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), investigations established that Nyabuti received salaries and other employment benefits amounting to KSh14,946,118.82 between August 2003 and September 2018.
He was charged at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on June 13, 2025, facing five counts, including fraudulent acquisition of public property, two counts of forgery and two counts of uttering false documents.
The Sentence
The court found him guilty of fraudulently acquiring public property and ordered him to pay the government KSh14,946,118 in compensation, with a five-year prison term in default.
Nyabuti was also fined KSh900,000 on the same count, with a further two-year prison term in default.
On each of the two counts of uttering false documents, he was fined KSh200,000, with a two-year prison term in default for each count.
The court directed that all the prison terms run concurrently, bringing the total effective sentence to 11 years.
EACC Welcomes Conviction
The commission welcomed the conviction and sentence, saying the outcome should deter individuals from engaging in similar criminal conduct.
The EACC has intensified its crackdown on public officials using forged documents to secure employment and benefits, with several similar cases currently before the courts.
Why This Case Matters
The case highlights the persistent challenge of academic fraud in Kenya’s public service, where forged certificates have been used to secure jobs and promotions. The EACC has urged employers, particularly in the public sector, to verify academic credentials with issuing institutions before offering employment.