Amukowa Anangwe, chair of the University of Nairobi Council, was arrested on Friday, May 16, at Kisumu International Airport by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

He was flown to Nairobi, where he was charged with abetting fraud involving the hiring and promotion of Brian Ouma Okeyo to senior positions using fake academic certificates.

Anangwe was charged along with four other council members: Ahmed Sheikh Abdullahi, Caren Kerubo Omwenga, Joel Kamau Kibe and Darius Mogaka Ogutu.

"On or about the 19th of April 2024 at the University of Nairobi Council Chamber, within Nairobi County, you jointly and severally used the authority of your office being the University of Nairobi Council Members to improperly confer a benefit to Daniel Brian Ouma Okeyo by passing a resolution to reappoint Daniel Brian Ouma Okeyo and nullifying the letter issued by Prof. Stephen Kiama rescinding Ouma’s appointment as acting chief operations officer contrary to the judgment delivered on 8th April 2024 vide ELRC JR 46 of 2023," the charge sheet said.

According to the EACC, Okeyo holds a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Pontifical Urbaniana University, which is not accredited in Kenya and therefore the certificate is not recognised in the country.

“The Pontifical Urbaniana University has never sought accreditation from the Commission for University Education to collaborate with Apostles of Jesus Philosophicum Major Seminary, Kenya, in contravention of Section 28 of the Universities Act (Accreditation of Foreign Universities,” read a statement by EACC.

The commission further argued that Okeyo obtained a mean grade of C- (minus) in KCSE, thus, he did not have the necessary qualifications to undertake a degree programme in Kenya.

Despite the glaring academic flaws, Okeyo was appointed on March 15, 2015 as deputy director (fundraising, donor relations and partnership). The commission said this position was similar to that of an associate professor, which requires a PhD.

It is his reappointment as the university’s acting chief operations officers on April 2024 that landed Anangwe and four other council members in trouble.

They are accused of bypassing former vice chancellor Peter Kiama’s letter, which nullified the reappointment of Okeyo, a move that raised eyebrows.

Anangwe and his co-accused were granted a cash bail of KSh 500,000 or a bond of KSh 1 million.

Okeyo was charged separately with the unlawful acquisition of public property being KSh 32.4 million paid to him as salary by the University of Nairobi.

He was granted a cash bail of KSh 3 million or a bond of KSh 5 million.

Anangwe’s case emerged shortly after an employee of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company was charged with using fraudulent academic credentials.

Edwin Amakola Munyeti allegedly forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate to obtain his job.

He appeared in court on Tuesday, May 13, and was granted release on a cash bail of 200,000 Kenyan shillings or an alternative bond of 500,000 shillings.

Source: TUKO.co.ke