HR manager charged with using fake papers to secure job

Milimani Law Courts, Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • Irene Chesang is accused of using forged USIU and Knec university and secondary certificates, respectively, to secure employment at REA and KWS.

A human resources manager at the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) has been charged with forging documents to secure the State job nine years ago.

Irene Chesang also faces charges of obtaining public property fraudulently in salaries totaling Sh10.9 million between 2001 to 2018.

Ms Chesang appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti but the 13 counts of forgery and fraud could not be read to her as she sobbed uncontrollably for more than 40 minutes.

Her lawyer Evans Ondieki asked the court to take into account that it was the accused’s first time in the dock.

“I urge this court to indulge the accused, who is out on a police bond, to compose herself then soul search and come to terms with her present situation,” said Mr Ondieki.

He requested the court for four days to allow her to face up to her predicament.

The charge against Ms Chesang stated that on unknown dates within the Republic of Kenya and with intent to defraud, she made a university degree certificate for a Bachelor of Science in International Business, purporting it was genuine and issued by United States International University Africa (USIU-Africa) on June 17, 2000.

She is further accused of forging academic transcripts for the years 1997 to 2000, purporting them to have been issued by USIU-Africa.

Ms Chesang was also charged with uttering (presenting) the false documents to Rose Mkalama at REA’s Nairobi offices between November 10, 2012 and January 17, 2013.

Besides forging the degree papers, she is accused of making and presenting a fake Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education with a mean grade of B – (minus) from Solian Girls High School, claiming it had been issued by the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) in 1996.

Court papers also show that she made an exemption letter dated June 29, 2008, purporting it was genuine and issued by the Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examination Board.

On January 31, 2018, Ms Chesang is said to have provided false information at the REA offices when she submitted an application letter for the position of principal human resource officer alleging her university certificate was genuine.

Between September 2011 to September 2018, she was alleged to have fraudulently acquired public property in salaries of Sh10,090,249 million from REA, and Sh934,504 from the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), where she was employed from July 1, 2001 to May 16, 2005.

She is accused of having used fake papers to secure employment with KWS.

The Chief Magistrate Mr Ogoti advised the defence lawyer Mr Ondieki to counsel his client before the next court date for her plea taking.

“You are hereby ordered to return to this court on February 9, 2021. Your police bond is extended,” Mr Ogoti ruled.

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