The Nairobi Anti-corruption court has fined a former Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) employee Zinje Juma Mwadama to pay a fine of Sh 5 million in default to serve 8 years in prison for fraudulently acquiring academic certificates to secure employment.
The court heard that he produced false information to a public servant with the intent to secure employment in KEPHIS.
He was required to pay a fine of Sh 100,000 in default to serve 12 months in prison, in addition to a mandatory fine of Sh 4746834.38 in default to serve 5 years in prison.
The amount is equivalent to the net salary he earned from KEPHIS for the offense of fraudulent acquisition of academic certificates.
Prosecuting counsel Susan Keli established that between June 26, 2013, and April 24, 2021, Mwadama, while employed as an Assistant Inspector II, fraudulently acquired a public property amounting to Sh 4,746,834.38 from KEPHIS, which was his monthly salary.
Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki also sentenced Mwadama to serve 2 years in prison or pay a fine of Sh 200,000 on two counts of providing false information to a public entity, contrary to Section 46(1)(d) as read with Section 46(2) of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 Laws of Kenya.
The court heard that on February 8, 2013, at KEPHIS, Mwadama had provided false information on his employment application form, claiming to have a Diploma in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development from Baraka Agricultural College and a Certificate in Agriculture with Distinction from Kilifi Institute of Agriculture claims he knew were false, intending to secure employment.
In determining the sentence, the Court indicated that it had considered the sentencing guidelines and the convict’s social inquiry report.
“Section 48 1(a) of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (ACECA), 2003, requires that such a convict be sentenced to a fine not exceeding Sh1 million, or imprisonment for a period not exceeding to ten years, or both,” read the magistrate.
Zinje was convicted on July 30, 2024, for acquiring Kes4,746,834.38, a salary earned from KEPHIS.
He was also convicted on two other counts of providing false information to a public entity, being information filled in the KEPHIS employment form where he falsely stated that he possessed a Diploma in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development from Baraka Agricultural College and a Certificate in Agriculture from Kilifi Institute of Agriculture respectively.
Magistrate Nzioki ruled that all sentences will run consecutively from the date of conviction.