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The High Court has upheld the conviction of a former senior education officer who was found guilty of false accounting leading to a loss of Sh1.4 million in public funds.

Christine Wegesa Chacha, who was a senior education officer, had been ordered to pay a fine of KSh1 million or serve one year in jail, in default.

She has been convicted alongside Concilia Aoko Ondiek, who was acting director of secondary and tertiary education.

The magistrate court had found that the two pocketed the money which was meant to facilitate needs assessment workshops for principals in Mombasa. The workshop was held at Coast Girls High School between June 13 and 29, 2009.

Ondiek (pictured) was jailed for two-and-a-half years without the option of a fine for being a repeat offender.

Chacha moved to the High Court to challenge her conviction saying the Magistrate erred in law by finding her guilty of the offense.

Yesterday, Justice Esther Maina however ruled that the appeal had no merit and upheld the conviction and the sentence.

“The court has found no merit in the appeal in its entirety, and has dismissed it in its entirety, both the conviction and the sentence are upheld,” ruled the judge.

Chacha, who had been found guilty of one count, had been acquitted of five other counts relating to forging of fuel cash sale receipt.