A Principal Engineer at the Ministry of Housing has been arrested in Athi River for his alleged involvement in forging an official government letter to secure a three-year job extension for a senior aviation investigator.
The arrest on Tuesday, November 25, followed a detailed investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The probe was initiated after the State Department of Transport flagged a suspicious document purporting to be a “Renewal of Local Agreement Terms” for a flight captain, granting him a three-year extension as the Director of Aircraft Accident Investigation.
According to the DCI, forensic document experts confirmed the May 6, 2024, letter was a fake, identifying anomalies in the signature and formatting. “Document forensic examination experts established that the letter was indeed a forged document and confiscated it as evidence,” the DCI stated.
Following an analysis of digital and physical evidence, investigators traced the forgery to the Principal Engineer. The DCI believes the forged letter was intended to unduly influence a key personnel decision within the critical aircraft accident investigation unit.
The suspect was processed at the Serious Crime Unit and is expected to be arraigned in court. Meanwhile, a manhunt is underway for the flight captain, who remains at large and is wanted to answer charges related to the forgery.
By James Kisoo
