Nairobi County staff to face trial over alleged Sh7 million salary fraud

Nairobi County employee, Lawrence Barasa, will now have to defend himself over a Sh7 million salary he allegedly received using a forged diploma certificate.

This follows a ruling on Friday by Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Charles Ondieki, who found that Barasa has a case to answer.

This is in connection with the alleged fraudulent acquisition of Sh7,173,963 in salaries, based on a forged Diploma Certificate in Information Technology purportedly issued by the Eldoret National Polytechnic.

The court’s decision comes after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully presented what it described as compelling evidence showing that Barasa, a City Hall employee, had forged his academic papers in order to secure employment with the Nairobi County government.

"After interrogating the evidence on record, I find that the prosecution has made out a prima facie case on each of the four charges. Consequently, the accused is called upon to provide a defence on each," Magistrate Ondieki ruled.

Barasa is required to mount a defence to four charges: forgery of academic certificates, fraudulent acquisition of public property, uttering false documents, and deceiving the principal.

Following the ruling, Barasa informed the court that he intends to give sworn testimony during his defence hearing. He requested 21 days to prepare, which the court granted.

According to the prosecution, between August 2016 and November 2023, while employed as an ICT Assistant at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Ltd, Barasa received Sh 7,173,963 in salaries based on a diploma certificate he allegedly forged.

The certificate, dated September 13, 2010, was purportedly from the Eldoret National Polytechnic, a claim the prosecution says Barasa knew to be false.

It is further alleged that Barasa forged the certificate on an unknown date with the intent to deceive.

In the third count, he is accused of uttering a false document on or about October 7, 2016.

The fourth count alleges that, on the same date, while serving as a public officer, Barasa knowingly and intentionally deceived his employer by claiming he held a diploma from Eldoret National Polytechnic.

The court was also told that he updated his Personnel Record Form with the false details.

Barasa has pleaded not guilty to all four counts and was released on a cash bail of Sh 200,000 or a bond of Sh 1 million with a surety of a similar amount pending the conclusion of his graft case

He is scheduled to defend himself against the charges on May 23, 2025, at 9:00am.