Lurking danger as Freedom Airline Express pilot arrested in possession of forged KCSE certificate, identity documents
Aviation, just like medicine among other professions is considered a delicate sector whose little compromise through act of commission or omission may inform irreversible damage of life and death.
This is the shocking reality and imminent danger passengers of Freedom Airline Express, trading as Freedom Airline Express Limited have been exposed to after one of their high flying pilots was arrested and charged for uttering forged academic documents and being in possession of a forged Kenyan identity card.
Ahmad Nassir Dirie Olow was charged before a Nairobi court for presenting fake documents and falsely acquiring a Kenyan identity card.
He appeared before Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku and denied several charges.
Olow is said to be a pilot for eight years flying to various countries.
He faces several counts including forging a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate which is alleged to have used to train as a pilot at Ninety Nines Flying School in Wilson Airport, Nairobi.
He was charged with making a false KCSE certificate for the 2007 national exam purporting it to be from the Kenya National Examination Council.
According to the police report, Olow presented the false document to Lt. Col. Amin Ali, the head of training at Ninety Nines Flying School in Wilson Airport on July 30, 2011.
The court heard that Olow also uttered the certificate to Sergeant Cyrus Ikade on January 6, 2021, at the Anti-Terrorist Police Unit headquarters at Upper Hill, Nairobi.
He is also accused of falsely obtaining Kenyan identity card as a Kenyan citizen in 2016 by way for false presentation.
Olow was arrested and arraigned in court after Detectives from Anti-Terror Unit received intelligence of aviation threat.
It is not clear how he managed to trained as a pilot despite a fake form four certificate.
Documents filed in court indicated that Olow claimed to have obtained the KCSE certificate from Wajir High School in 2007.
He said he scored a mean score of B Plus (B+) but when asked, the national examining body, KNEC, denied the school registration code indicated in his certificate.
The court also heard that the school principal, Adan Farah disowned him saying there was no such student in the school in 2007.
“The purported certificate issued by Kenya National Examination Council is not genuine,” Dr Mercy Karogo, the KNEC chief executive said in response to inquiry by Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.
The prosecution told the court that on January 5, 2020 at Ninety Nines flying school located at Wilson Airport, Olow was found with a fake KCSE certificate, claiming that he obtained it from Wajir Secondary school in 2007.
Last week, ATPU was allowed to detain Olow other two for five days pending investigations.
He denied the charges and was released on Sh50, 000 cash bail.
The case has been scheduled for mention in February.
According to Freedom Airline official website, since opening its doors in 2008, the airlines says it has developed a diverse client base.
They also acknowledges being one of the certified aircraft maintenance service provider, authorized to provide specialized services to third parties at Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
Some of their flying destinations include; Nairobi-Mogadishu, Nairobi-Garowe, Nairobi-Galkayo, Nairobi-Kismayu, Nairobi-Garissa, Nairobi-Elwak, Nairobi-Mandera, Nairobi-Mombasa and Nairobi-Kisumu.
The new development paints a grim picture of the all-important aviation sector by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority responsible for regulating the aviation industry in the country.
The KCAA offers training in the aviation professions through its affiliated East African School of Aviation and conducts written examination for issue of licenses to pilots, flight dispatchers and engineers through the Personnel Licensing department.
