Former Nairobi senatorial aspirant Gabriel Bukachi Chapia has been convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court for forging academic certificates and fraudulently pocketing millions of shillings in salaries from senior public jobs.
Delivering judgment at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Law Courts, Senior Principal Magistrate Charles Ondieki sentenced Chapia to two and a half years in jail or a fine of Sh150,000 and directed him to refund Sh3.9 million illegally earned from public institutions.
“The accused is sentenced to pay a fine of Sh30,000 on each of the five counts, in default of which he shall serve six months in prison per count,” ruled the magistrate.
The court further ordered him to compensate the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) a combined Sh3,917,102.56, inclusive of 12 percent interest, as part of the plea agreement entered with the prosecution.
Chapia, who vied for the Nairobi Senate seat on an ODM ticket in 2017, admitted to forging a Master’s degree in Information Technology from Daystar University, a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Maseno University, and other certificates from the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.
Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) revealed that the fake papers were used to secure top positions at MTRH in 2009, KenInvest in 2010, and the Nairobi County Government in 2014.
EACC welcomed the ruling, describing it as a “landmark victory in the fight against fraud in public service.”
The conviction followed a dramatic attempt by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in October 2024 to terminate the case, despite 14 witnesses having already testified.
Through a withdrawal application under Section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the DPP sought to end the trial at Chapia’s request.
But EACC strongly opposed the move, telling the court
“There was no reason why the hearing of ACC No. E041 of 2020 should not proceed to its logical conclusion.”
The magistrate agreed, ruling that dropping the charges would not serve public interest given the gravity of the offence and the resources already spent on the case.
In sentencing, Magistrate Ondieki acknowledged Chapia’s remorse, first-offender status, and willingness to enter a plea agreement.
“This court has considered the seriousness of the offences and their negative implication on public good. However, being a first offender who has shown deep remorse, the court concurs with the recommended non-custodial sentence,” Ondieki stated.
The court allowed Chapia to pay Sh2 million within seven days as the first installment of the refund and clear the balance of Sh1.9 million in quarterly instalments of Sh239,637.82. Failure to comply will see him serve an additional 12 months in jail.
Magistrate Ondieki reminded Chapia that the judgment entered upon the plea bargain is final and not subject to appeal, save for limited grounds on legality or extent of sentence.
The case, which began with a report to EACC in 2017, now stands as one of the longest-running academic fraud prosecutions to have reached conviction, underscoring judicial resolve to protect public resources from fraudulent acquisition.
