Ex-REREC Finance boss sentenced to 4 years in jail for forging degree

The Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court has sentenced former Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) General Manager for Finance and ICT to pay fines totalling more than Ksh.3 million or serve four years in prison after being found guilty of using a forged degree to secure employment.

Noah Oketch Oluoch was convicted of fraudulently acquiring public funds amounting to Ksh.1,455,066.05 in salary and allowances between April 1 and August 31, 2022.

On this charge, Senior Principal Magistrate Celesa Okore sentenced him to a fine of Ksh.100,000, or one year in prison in default, plus a mandatory fine of Ksh.2,910,131.10 — double the amount defrauded — or two years in default.

The court also found him guilty of uttering a false document after presenting a forged Master of Business Administration degree certificate allegedly from the University of Nairobi to REREC Chief Executive Officer Peter Mbugua on March 23, 2021.

The prosecution proved that he knowingly presented the fake certificate with the intent to deceive. For this offence, Oluoch was fined Ksh.100,000 or face an additional year in prison.

Magistrate Okore ordered that the sentences be served consecutively, meaning Oluoch will only walk free after paying the full fines or serving the full prison term.