Gabriel Chapia Jailed for Academic Fraud, Ordered to Refund Sh3.9 Million
Former Nairobi senatorial aspirant Gabriel Bukachi Chapia has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail or a Sh150,000 fine after the Anti-Corruption Court found him guilty of forging academic certificates and fraudulently obtaining top public service positions.
Delivering the ruling at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Law Courts, Senior Principal Magistrate Charles Ondieki also ordered Chapia to refund Sh3.9 million which he illegally earned while working at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest). “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,” Ondieki ruled.
Under a plea bargain with the prosecution, Chapia is required to compensate MTRH and KenInvest a combined Sh3,917,102.56, including 12 percent interest. He must pay Sh2 million within seven days and settle the remaining balance in quarterly instalments of Sh239,637.82. Failure to comply will result in an additional 12-month prison term.
Chapia who ran 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 he used these falsified credentials to secure senior roles at MTRH in 2009, KenInvest in 2010 and later at the Nairobi County Government in 2014.
The conviction came after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in October 2024 failed to terminate the trial under Section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code despite 14 witnesses testifying. EACC opposed the application and the court ruled that dismissing the case would undermine public interest.
In sentencing Chapia, Magistrate Ondieki acknowledged his remorse, plea bargain and status as a first-time offender but noted the broader implications on public trust. “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 said.
EACC has commended the ruling as a big win in the war against fraud in public service. This is one of the longest running academic fraud cases reported to EACC since 2017.
Gabriel Chapia Jailed for Academic Fraud, Ordered to Refund Sh3.9 Million