Former Machakos County government Chief Officer Joseph Mutwiwa Munyao is facing serious legal trouble after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) accused him of using forged academic certificates to obtain a senior position in the county administration.
Munyao was arrested by EACC on Monday, August 31, and taken to the Machakos Law Courts on Tuesday, where he denied all the charges brought against him.
The former county official has now been released on a cash bail of Ksh1 million or an alternative bond of Ksh2 million with a surety of a similar amount as he prepares to face trial.
The case has placed fresh attention on the qualifications used to secure public positions, particularly those that come with senior responsibilities and public salaries.
According to EACC, its investigations found that Munyao allegedly forged a Bachelor of Commerce degree certificate in Accounting, which was purportedly issued by the University of Nairobi in 2004.
The commission also alleges that he forged a Certified Public Accountants (CPA) Final Examination Certificate dated June 2019. EACC claims the two documents were not genuine and were allegedly presented as legitimate academic qualifications during the process of securing his appointment.
Munyao is accused of using the certificates to obtain the position of Chief Officer, Industry and Innovation in the Machakos County government.
He held the position between January and November 2023, giving him access to a senior office within the devolved government structure.
The allegations raise questions about how academic qualifications presented during public appointments are verified before individuals are allowed to take up sensitive positions. Senior county offices come with significant responsibilities, and the people appointed to them are expected to have the qualifications, skills and experience required for the work.
According to EACC, Munyao received salaries amounting to Ksh1,585,967.90 during the period he served as Chief Officer. The commission argues that the money was earned while he allegedly held the position using qualifications that were not genuine.
The figure has now become part of the wider dispute surrounding his appointment. EACC said it intends to separately file civil proceedings seeking recovery of the salaries and other benefits that Munyao allegedly obtained through the use of the fraudulent academic qualifications.
The criminal case follows the completion of investigations by the anti-graft agency. EACC said it forwarded its inquiry file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved charges against the former county official.
The charges include fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering a false document and forgery of academic certificates.
