Former Kaimosi University employee charged over fake degree, Sh6.3m fraud
Crime and Justice
By
Nancy Gitonga
| Jun 16, 2026
A former employee of Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU) has been charged before an Anti-Corruption Court with allegedly forging academic certificates to secure employment and fraudulently earning more than Sh6.3 million in salaries and benefits.
Alexander Ndumia Kariuki appeared before Chief Magistrate Jared Magori on Tuesday, where he denied three corruption-related charges of fraudulent acquisition of millions of shillings in salaries, forgery and presenting the forged degree to Vihiga county government, brought against him by the DPP and EACC.
The charges stem from allegations that Kariuki used a forged Master's degree certificate in Criminology purportedly issued by Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology to secure employment as a Tutorial Fellow at Kaimosi Friends University.
According to the prosecution, investigations conducted by the EACC established that Kariuki forged a Master's degree certificate number 110342 and presented it as a genuine academic qualification to obtain employment at the public institute.
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The prosecution told the court that through the alleged fraudulent scheme, Kariuki unlawfully acquired public funds amounting to Sh6,337,945 in salaries and related benefits paid by KAFU during his tenure at the university.
He was charged with fraudulent acquisition of public property amounting to Sh6,337,945, forgery contrary to Section 345 as read together with Section 349 of the Penal Code, and uttering a false document contrary to Section 353 of the Penal Code.
The case had earlier suffered a setback after Kariuki failed to appear in court on June 9, 2026, prompting the court to order the forfeiture of a Sh50,000 cash bail previously deposited and issue a warrant for his arrest.
Following the issuance of the warrant, EACC detectives tracked down and arrested the suspect on June 15, 2026.
He was subsequently arraigned before the court to plead to the forgery charges.
However, the court was informed that Kariuki had since presented himself at EACC offices and cooperated with investigators.
Consequently, Magistrate Magori lifted the warrant of arrest and set aside the earlier order forfeiting the Sh50,000 cash bail.
Upon taking a plea, Kariuki denied all the charges and, through his lawyer, sought lenient bond terms, assuring the court that he would abide by all conditions and attend court whenever required.
The defence argued that the accused was not a flight risk and was prepared to cooperate fully with the judicial process as the matter proceeded to trial.
After considering submissions from both sides, C Magistrate Magori released the accused on a bond of Sh1 million with one surety of a similar amount or a cash bail of Sh500,000.
The court directed that the case be mentioned on July 1, 2026, for pre-trial directions before the hearing date can be fixed.