Kitui CEC in court over fake academic papers
Philip Mutinda Mumo appeared before Kitui senior principal magistrate Margaret Kasera but denied all the charges against him.
What you need to know:
- The fake degree certificate was the basis of his appointment as a county minister by Governor Charity Ngilu.
- The suspect appeared before Kitui senior principal magistrate Margaret Kasera but denied all the charges against him.
A county executive member in Kitui was Friday arraigned over allegations of using forged academic papers to secure employment at the county.
Philip Mutinda Mumo, who is in charge of the Trade and Cooperative development, was arraigned in relation to an investigation that he presented a forged degree certificate purportedly issued by Mount Kenya University.
The fake degree certificate was the basis of his appointment as a county minister by Governor Charity Ngilu.
The suspect appeared before Kitui senior principal magistrate Margaret Kasera but denied all the charges against him.
According to the charge sheet, Mr Mumo faced three counts at the anti-corruption court, the first being providing false information to Kitui County government contrary to Section 46 (1) (d) as read with Section 46 (2) of the Leadership and Integrity Act.
“On the 21 day of September 2017, at Huduma Centre – EACC desk, Kitui county knowingly provided false information to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission by stating that he has a degree from the Mount Kenya University having graduated in 2014, which information he filled on the self-declaration form as provided for in the First Schedule of the Leadership and Integrity Act” the first count read.
The CEC who is the youngest in Governor Ngilu’s cabinet faced a second charge of deceiving the Kitui county government contrary to Section 46(1) (d) as read with Section 46 (2) of the Leadership and Integrity Act.
“At an undisclosed place and time within the Republic of Kenya with an intent to deceive without lawful authority or excuse, made a certain document namely transcript serial number 53151, and presented to Kitui County Government, purporting to be genuine transcripts from Mount Kenya University, a fact he knew to be false” read the particulars of second count.
He faced a third count of uttering a false document contrary to Section 353 as read with Section 349 of the Penal Code.
In December last year, Mr Mumo was impeached by the County Assembly on the grounds of using fake academic papers to secure his job.
The CEC then moved to court where he obtained stay orders barring the Governor from sacking him. The court later vacated the orders and dismissed his case after the hearing.
