NCWSC staffer charged with forgery and Ksh.7.5M fraud

Teresia Chepkemoi Chepkwony, a revenue collector, technician, and marketing assistant with the water company, was charged with forging a KCSE certificate bearing a C plus mean grade from Boron Secondary School on or about September 18, 2017, and misrepresenting it as a genuine certification issued by the national examination body KNEC, despite knowing it was false.

Aside from the academic forgery charge, she was charged with fraudulent acquisition of public property because it is alleged that she accumulated over Kshs. 7.5 million shillings in her capacity as a public officer between March 1st and December 31st, 2013 in the form of salaries from the water company, all using the forged KCSE certificates.

Teresia was also charged with uttering a false document and deceiving the principal, all of which violated sections 41(2) and 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

She had deceived Titus Tuitoek, the company's human resource manager, by falsely declaring on the personnel record form that she held a genuine KCSE certificate, which she was aware was false.

Teresia pleaded not guilty before Principal Magistrate C.N. Ondieki at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday, and the court ordered that she be released on a Kshs. 500,000 bond with one surety of the amount, with the option of being released if she deposits a cash bail of about a fifth of the amount and provides suitable contact persons whose details will be kept on file.

The case is set for further mentioning on September 3 where further directions shall be issued.