Authorities in Mombasa have uncovered a fraudulent scheme where individuals were issuing fake Master’s and PhD degrees under the guise of a legitimate university. The operation was taking place at a conference facility booked at White Sands Hotel, where unsuspecting participants were being awarded certificates after just three days of training.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Dayis Lawrence Bennett (an American citizen), Farah Akab (a Pakistani national), and two Kenyans, Ekra Ndung’u and Josephine Ndune. Acting on intelligence reports, officers from Bamburi Police Station moved swiftly to halt the event, which was falsely presented as a prestigious graduation ceremony.
Among the fraudulent certifications issued were at least three Master of Business Administration (Leadership and Management) degrees and two honorary PhDs in Leadership (Hon. Causa). Investigators revealed that the institution behind the scam was not accredited and had no legal mandate to issue degrees.
Court Charges and Bail Conditions
Following their arrest, the four suspects were arraigned before the Shanzu Law Courts, where they were charged with conferring degrees without accreditation, an offense under Section 28(2) as read with Section 5 of the Universities Act.
The accused pleaded not guilty and were granted bail under strict conditions:
Each was given a bond of Ksh 400,000 with a similar surety or a cash bail of Ksh 300,000.
The two foreign nationals were ordered to surrender their passports to prevent them from fleeing the country.
The case will be mentioned again in court on February 18, 2025.
DCI Warns Against Fake Master’s and PhD Degrees
Following the arrests, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issued a warning against fraudulent academic certifications. The agency emphasized that such activities devalue genuine academic qualifications and contribute to incompetency in professional sectors.
Authorities have urged Kenyans to be vigilant when enrolling in educational programs and to verify the accreditation status of institutions before committing their time and money.
The incident has raised concerns over the increasing number of unregistered institutions operating in Kenya, with investigators now working to establish whether the suspects had carried out similar scams elsewhere.
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