DCI Raids University Graduation, Cancels Fake Degrees and Arrests Officials
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in collaboration with officials from the Commission for University Education (CUE), stormed Northwestern Christian University’s graduation ceremony in Mombasa on Friday, February 28. The raid was carried out after it was established that the university was operating without accreditation.
During the operation, CUE officials revoked 100 degree certificates that were deemed fraudulent. Several university officials, along with some students, were arrested. However, the students were later released after authorities clarified that they were victims of an unaccredited institution.
CUE officials urged Kenyans to be cautious when selecting universities to avoid falling prey to such scams.
“I want to declare this a crime scene. Everyone wearing a graduation gown must remain seated until we complete our investigations. Is that clear?” a DCI officer announced during the raid.
This crackdown follows a prior warning issued to the university, which had been flagged for operating illegally. Despite the official directive to cease operations, the institution continued running, prompting authorities to take action.
Following the raid, CUE Chairman, Prof. Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha, reaffirmed the commission’s determination to eliminate illegal universities and colleges across the country.
“When we find institutions claiming to offer degree programs and issuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees illegally, it is our responsibility to put an end to these unlawful activities,” Chacha stated.
“Today, we discovered this university conducting a graduation ceremony where numerous individuals were receiving degrees, including PhDs. We worked closely with the relevant authorities, leading to the arrest of the institution’s founders,” he added.
The crackdown comes months after CUE had revoked the university’s operating license in 2023. The revocation was announced through a notice published in local newspapers, explicitly warning that the university was not accredited to offer any academic programs.
Despite the official notice, the institution disregarded the directive and continued running its operations.
“It was clearly stated that this institution was not authorized to offer university education in Kenya. Any certificates issued by them would not be recognized,” CUE emphasized.
In addition to investigating the fraudulent degree awards, the institution attracted the attention of the Engineering Board of Kenya (EBK). The board demanded the immediate revocation of an honorary doctorate degree awarded to Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi.
The honorary degree certificate, issued on Saturday, December 21, 2024, during the university’s 17th graduation ceremony, included the professional title “Engineer.” EBK intervened after receiving numerous complaints from the public regarding the misuse of the title.
“We received several concerns from Kenyans about the use of the ‘Engineer’ title in an honorary doctorate certificate issued by this institution. As a result, we instructed them to withdraw the certificate immediately,” EBK disclosed.
The investigation into the fraudulent operations of Northwestern Christian University is ongoing, with authorities determined to hold those responsible accountable.
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