What was meant to be a day of celebration and academic triumph turned into heartbreak and shock on Saturday after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) dramatically halted an illegal graduation ceremony in Changamwe, Mombasa County.
Officers from the DCI Headquarters’ Serious Crime Unit (SCU), working alongside officials from the Commission for University Education (CUE), stormed Victory International Church where the ceremony was underway.
Graduands were already dressed in academic gowns, caps tossed in the air, and families gathered to witness what they believed was a milestone moment, before authorities abruptly brought the event to a stop.
DREAMS CUT SHORT AS DCI HALTS BOGUS GRADUATION IN CHANGAMWE
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) December 14, 2025
A team of detectives from the DCI Headquarters’ Serious Crime Unit (SCU), working hand in glove with officers from the Commission for University Education (CUE), yesterday brought the curtain down on a graduation… pic.twitter.com/KQRr8sB3rk
The raid followed intelligence reports indicating that an unaccredited institution was conducting an unlawful graduation. Upon interrogation, the organisers, directors, and officials of Menorah Training Institute and Dominion Mission Theological University Global, a Ghana-based entity, failed to produce the mandatory accreditation documents from CUE.
Investigations revealed that Menorah Training Institute is only registered with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) to offer courses up to diploma level.
However, the graduation list painted a troubling picture: five individuals were scheduled to receive master’s degrees, while seventeen others were listed for undergraduate degrees, qualifications that the institution is neither licensed nor authorised to confer.
DCI officials described the ceremony as a clear case of academic fraud, noting that unsuspecting students had been misled into believing they were earning legitimate degrees.
“As the ceremony progressed, it became evident that the institution was operating outside its mandate. The qualifications being awarded had no legal standing,” a detective involved in the operation said.
Six arrested
Following the disruption, six officials were arrested for their alleged role in organising the bogus graduation. Those taken into custody include Daniel Dela (President), board members John Kibet, Philomena Milano, and Ann Ogola Owiti, as well as Jason Oduor and Michael Ochieng. They are currently being processed pending arraignment in court.
As investigations continue, dozens of affected graduands were left devastated, their dreams of academic achievement abruptly cut short, serving as a painful reminder of the dangers of unverified institutions in the pursuit of education.
Watch the video in the DCI X post below:
