The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has directed that terminal benefits, including pensions and accrued leave payments, should not be processed for public officers found to have used fraudulent academic qualifications to secure employment.
The circular, issued by EACC’s Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak, highlights the Commission’s mandate to oversee and enforce integrity standards among state and public officers. It comes after concerns that some institutions have allowed officers with forged certificates to resign or take early retirement without following proper legal procedures.
“It has come to the attention of the Commission that some public institutions have allowed public Officers with cases of forged academic and professional certificates to resign or proceed on early retirement and processed payment of terminal benefits without following the law,” the circular states.
Mbarak emphasised the need for all public institutions to prioritise the verification of academic and professional certificates held by their employees.
“All cases of forged academic and professional certificates should be submitted to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission for further action in accordance with the law,” he warned.
The circular further advises that salaries, allowances, and benefits earned by officers who secured employment using forged documents are recoverable in full. “It is further advised that the salaries, allowances and benefits earned by public officers who secured employment using forged academic and professional certificates is recoverable in full,” it states.
The directive has been issued to all accounting and authorized officers in ministries, departments, agencies, constitutional commissions, independent offices, the Parliament, Judiciary, State Corporations Advisory Committee, public universities, and county public service boards.
