Ex-REREC Manager Jailed and Fined for Using Forged MBA Certificate

Nairobi, August 15, 2025 — A Nairobi anti-corruption court has sentenced former Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) General Manager for Finance and ICT, Noah Oketch Oluoch, to prison and fined him millions of shillings after finding him guilty of using a forged academic certificate to secure public employment.

The Fraudulent Degree

Prosecutors told the court that Oluoch presented a counterfeit Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, allegedly from the University of Nairobi, in order to clinch the top finance post at REREC. Using the forged papers, he unlawfully earned more than Ksh 1.45 million in salary and allowances between April and August 2022.

Sentencing and Legal Grounds

Trial Magistrate Celesa Okore convicted Oluoch on charges of fraudulent acquisition of public property and uttering false documents, offences under sections 347, 349 and 353 of the Penal Code.

The court handed down consecutive sentences as follows:

• Fraudulent acquisition of funds: fine of Ksh 2.91 million or two years in prison.

• Uttering a false document: fine of Ksh 100,000 or one year in prison.

In total, he faces over Ksh 3 million in fines, with the option of serving prison terms if he fails to pay.

Wider Crackdown on Fake Credentials

The conviction highlights the government’s ongoing crackdown on forged qualifications in the public sector. Both the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) have previously warned that fraudulent academic papers not only undermine meritocracy but also drain taxpayers through unearned salaries.

Analysts say Oluoch’s case serves as a warning to professionals attempting to advance their careers using fake documents, as the judiciary tightens enforcement against credential fraud.