Kiambu MCA Pastor Robert Githongo arrested over forged KCSE certificate

Robert Githongo, a Kiambu MCA has been arrested over a forged academic certificate.

According to the anti-corruption agency, the Kiamwangi Ward MCA will be arraigned in court on Wednesday.

“The MCA will be charged with four counts of charges; providing false information, making a false document, uttering a false document and making a false declaration,” EACC said.

Githongo, who is also a pastor at the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA), is accused of forging a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam certificate.

The national examinations body verified that Githongo did not sit for the said exams at Mirera Secondary School in 1997 as was alleged.

Reports indicate that he used the document to get admission into Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) where he graduated from in 2016.

According to the Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji, the MCA was admitted to study for a Diploma in Governance and Leadership on the basis that the certificate was genuine.

A report compiled this year was forwarded to DPP with recommendations to charge the suspect with the offenses of deceiving the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The law required that candidates vying for MCA positions have a minimum of a Form Four certificate but this was later changed to a diploma certificate, the Business Daily reported two years ago.

However, the report further indicated that proposed amendments to the Election Act would see only degree holders viable for MCA seats after the 2017 poll.