NYAGATARE- A Kenyan lecturer at Umutara Polytechnic University, was yesterday found guilty of using forged academic transcripts and sentenced to eight months in prison by the Nyagatare Intermediary Court.

Peter Mawae who taught communication skills at the university since 2008, claimed to hold a Masters Degree in French from Kenyatta University in Kenya.

He was arrested last week.

Prosecutors told court that their investigations proved that Mawae never studied at Kenyatta University.The presiding judge, Sam Rupia, said that Mawae applied for a job, got it, worked and earned a salary using forged transcripts.
 
"After verifying evidence handed to us by prosecutors, we found that Peter Mawae used forged academic transcripts to earn a salary of Rwf 600,000 (per month) at Umutara Polytechnic University,” the judge said, before handing the don the sentence.

He was also ordered to pay a fine of Rwf 20,000.

Mawae’s case was first handled by the Office of Ombudsman but prosecution later issued an arrest warrant against him.

Vitali Nyagengwa, the chief prosecutor at Nyagatare Intermediate Court, warned universities and other institutions of higher learning to always be vigilant when recruiting staff.

"These cases are becoming common. We call upon all universities to always scrutinise these people before recruitment,” he advised.

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