Senior KFS officer sentenced to 5 years in prison for forging his academic certificates
A senior Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officer has been sentenced to five years imprisonment, or pay a fine of Ksh500,000 for forging his academic documents.
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in a statement issued on Friday, August 16, 2024, said an Eldoret court had sentenced Sergeant Godfrey Maundu Nzilu on four counts.
According to the ODPP, Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Areri sentenced the KFS officer on counts of uttering false documents contrary to section 353 of the Penal Code, and one count of forgery contrary to section 349 of the Penal Code.
“An Eldoret Court has sentenced a Kenya Forest Service Sergeant to pay a fine of Kshs 500,000 or serve 5 years in prison for uttering false documents and forgery.
“Senior Principal Magistrate Hon Peter Areri sentenced Godfrey Maundu Nzilu on four counts of uttering false documents contrary to section 353 of the Penal Code, and one count of forgery contrary to section 349 of the Penal Code,” ODPP says in the statement.
The National Prosecution Authority says the accused had presented a forged Diploma certificate from the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) to his employer, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
The accused, according to the ODPP, is also said to have submitted a forged Bachelor’s degree and a Diploma certificate in Criminology and Forensic Studies to Moi University for authentication.
The ODPP says Maundu never attended the said courses at either TUK or Moi University.
“The accused had presented a forged Diploma certificate from the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) to his employer, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). He also submitted forged Bachelor’s and Diploma certificates in Criminology and Forensic Studies to Moi University for authentication, for courses he never attended at either institution,” the ODPP stated.
The officer’s sentence came after the prosecution, led by David Fedha and Patricia Kirui, successfully proved the case beyond any reasonable doubt.
The ODPP says a total of sixteen witnesses and thirty-three (63) exhibits were presented to prove the case.
