The Communication Officer at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Sylvanus Blake has recently revealed that anyone who is found using a fake degree to seek employment will pay a fine of fifty million Leones (Le 50m) or face a five-year jail term.

According to The Exclusive Newspaper, He made this disclosure to local media after the ACC launched a full-scale national certificate audit for civil servants and other senior government officials.

According to the ACC mouthpiece, this penalty is in line with the new ACC Act, adding that the anti-graft institution has now decided to launch an investigation on the alarming issue because the Commission thinks it is corruption related. Sylvanus Blake also noted that the Le 50m or 5 years jail penalty is in accordance with law, adding that some perpetrators will face both alternative penalties depending on the level of corruption unearthed.

He also revealed that the ACC will be looking and investigating the awarding institutions, noting that the proprietors or properties of any institution found wanting, will be arrested/confiscated and charged to court.

The Exclusive Newspaper reports that he further called on all government institutions to release the finding of their academic audits, so also to set the records straight.