Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and seven others are now facing fresh charges linked to the sh. 50 million Finland education scam.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, has approved new charges proposed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which has been investigating the case.
This decision follows a request from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to the DPP to withdraw previous charges against Mandago and two co-accused individuals, who had been implicated in the misappropriation of sh. 1.1 billion.
The DPP is seeking to withdraw the case under Section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Reports indicate that the DCI identified several gaps in the ongoing case, where more than 30 out of 202 scheduled witnesses have testified before Nakuru Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege.
The individuals facing charges alongside include Joseph Kipkemboi Maritim (former Chief Officer for Youth Affairs), Meshack Rono (Deputy Director, Revolving Fund), Joshua Lelei (Chief Education Officer, Revolving Fund), Phylis Wanjiku (Gender Officer), Tony Kibet Tanui (Principal Education Officer), Joel Rutto (Director, County Education Revolving Fund), and Skill Dove Limited.
The new charges proposed by the DPP include conspiracy to commit economic crime, abuse of office, breach of trust, fraudulent acquisition of public property, and uttering false documents, as outlined in Section 353 of the Penal Code.
The DCI believes the EACC possesses stronger evidence that could facilitate the conviction of the suspects and enable the recovery of the misappropriated funds.
Gaps identified in the investigation include discrepancies in the number of students admitted to Finnish and Canadian universities, the fees paid, the number of visas processed, and the roles of agents linking the Uasin Gishu county government to the universities.
Additionally, details regarding the pathway studies to Finnish universities, such as program costs and participation, remain unclear.
