Before Moses Otieno Obiero, the Form One dropout who faked his way to top State jobs, there were many others who took the phrase “fake it until you make it” way too seriously.

Moses, in case you have been living under a rock, is a 50-year-old man, who also goes by the names Nobert Muhoro Ikundo, Hope Lubega and Robert Mwanyalo. He was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Nairobi last week and is scheduled to be charged at the Milimani Law Courts on Friday.

For 26 years, investigations reveal, the man used a forged degree and postgraduate certificates to secure employment in 10 organisations.

We take a look at others like Moses who made it to the top only to fall back down with a resounding thud! (Well, not all of them)

FAKE POLICEMAN JOSHUA WAIGANJO
Police imposter Waiganjo hit the headlines back in 2013 when a businessman raised the alarm after the fake cop arrested and assaulted workers at Farmers Inn Club in Njoro, accusing them of operating without a valid license.

Waiganjo, who, masqueraded as a senior police for over five years without detection, was sentenced to jail by a Naivasha court in 2015 for impersonating a police officer.

At one point in his” line of duty”, Waiganjo was captured in pictures inspecting a guard of honour mounted by Kenya Forestry guards during a graduation ceremony in Londiani, Kericho County.

Now a holder of a diploma certificate in Bible studies and another in psychological counselling, he has made clear his intention to run as an MP in Njoro constituency in the  August General Election.

FAKE DOCTOR RONALD MELLY
In mid-2016,  one young handsome “doctor”, Ronald Melly, was arrested after it was found that he was not a certified medical practitioner. He had performed eight “successful” surgeries before being busted. According to reports, out of the nine surgery patients Melly attended to, only one died.

Melly, who was working at Kapsabet County Hospital, was taking home a cool Sh150, 000 salary every month.

Investigations revealed that Melly worked for over six months in the hospital even after his colleagues kept raising questions about his qualifications.

Interestingly, Melly worked in several departments at the hospital, including the maternity and outpatient sections, before he was transferred to Meteitei Sub- County Hospital as a medical superintendent.

Melly was busted after a caesarean delivery he conducted led to the death of the mother.

FAKE GYNAECOLOGIST MUGO WA WAIRIMU
Mugo wa Wairimu, a fake gynaecologist, grabbed the headlines in 2016 year after a viral video emerged showing him allegedly sedating and raping his female patients.

The incident in the video that leaked was reported to have taken place in November 2014 at Prestige Healthcare Clinic in Nairobi. It is alleged that Mugo raped the said woman after giving her four tablets of an unknown drug.

Wairimu, whose official names were identified as James Mugo Ndichu, was reportedly running six unregistered clinics in Nairobi.

He denied being a quack, claiming to have graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Nairobi in 2000.

FAKE PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER PAUL MAKONDA
Across the border in neighbouring Tanzania, Dar es Salaam provincial commissioner Paul Makonda was busted in early 2017 for using fake Form Four certificates.

Makonda, who had been talking and acting tough, sweeping out drug peddlers in the capital city and playing a key role in leading investigations, was hit back when his academic credentials were put into question.

One clergyman, Josephat Gwajima, claimed that he had incriminating evidence showing that Makonda forged his Form Four certificates.

Interestingly, President John Magufuli came to Makonda’s defense when the matter arose in Parliament with the MPs demanding his resignation. He is  still in office.