The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has approved Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago to be arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives over corruption and embezzlement of funds in the Finland scholarship saga.
Mandago together with four other senior officials will face charges of conspiracy to commit an offense of economic crime, abuse of office, breach of trust, fraudulent acquisition of public property and uttering a false document contrary to Section 353 of the Penal Code.
“We have recommended him to be charged and have received the go-ahead from DPP because we found something about him,” EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak said.
The EACC has been looking into the Ksh1.1 billion scholarship program established by the Uasin Gishu County government during Mandago’s tenure as governor
According to EACC investigations, Ksh.284.4 million was paid to Finnish and Canadian institutions, Ksh.315.9 million to international agencies, and Ksh.50.7 million to local agencies.
However, another Ksh.308.9 million and Ksh.74.2 million were withdrawn in cash.
Mandago was in August arrested and arraigned at the Nakuru Chief Magistrate Court in connection with the scholarship scam.
He was releasesed on a Ksh 500, 000 cach bail after presiding magistrate Peter Ndege emphasized that criminal proceedings against Mandago and the co-accused cannot commence due to the absence of one other suspect linked to the fraudulent scheme.
“The fact that plea is yet to be taken should not be a bar against the release on bail in a case where the prosecution had no objection in the first to the lifting of the warrant of arrest which they had applied for earlier on,” ruled Ndege.
He added“I do therefore consider accused 2, 3 and 4 who are present today be released on bond of Sh 2 million bond and one surety of a similar amount or cash bail of Sh 500,000 pending plea and /or the arrest of the first accused person.”
