Warrant of arrest issued for Senator Jackson Mandago over Sh1.1b scholarship scandal
A court has issued a warrant of arrest against the former Uasin Gishu Governor and current Senator, Jackson Mandago, as well as three other former officials. This move comes in the wake of the Sh 1.1 billion scholarship scandal involving funds from Finland and Canada.
The warrant for arrest was issued after Mandago and his co-accused failed to appear before the Nakuru Chief Magistrate to address eleven charges that include theft, abuse of office, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
WARRANT OF ARREST AGAINST SENATOR JACKSON MANDAGO
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) August 16, 2023
The court action followed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Victor Mule.
Mandago, along with Joseph Kipkemoi Maritim, Meshak Rono, and Joshua Kipkemoi Lelei, faces joint charges of conspiring to steal Ksh 1.1 billion from an account at KCB Eldoret, registered under the Uasin Gichu Education Trust Fund, which was meant for overseas university fees for deserving students.
Maritim, Rono, and Lelei are individually charged with embezzling Sh 56.5 million from the education trust fund on various dates spanning from June 2021 to September 12, 2022.
Also read: Mandago to address Devolution Conference despite arrest notice
In separate charges, Maritim is accused of stealing Sh 660,000, while Rono faces allegations of misappropriating Sh 10.8 million.
During the same time frame, Lelei stands charged with embezzling Sh 2.7 million.
Mandago, on the other hand, faces an abuse of office charge for entering into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with universities in Finland and Canada on behalf of the Uasin Gichu County government without proper resolution and approval from the County Assembly.
Moreover, Mandago is also accused of abusing his authority as governor by falsely representing that the Uasin Gichu County government was providing full scholarships for overseas education.
Furthermore, he is charged with misusing his position by seconding Uasin Gichu County staff to a private entity named Uasin Gichu Overseas Education Trust (UGOET).
This action allegedly enabled those staff members to draw salaries from the county government while undermining the interests of the county’s residents.
Maritim, Rono, and Lelei face additional charges of forging a document, specifically a declaration of trust dated May 6, 2021, related to UGOET.
They purportedly created this document, bearing the signatures of Dr. Joel Chelule, Dr. Susan Keino, and Loice Cheruiyot, with the intent to defraud UGOET.
The trio also faces separate charges of forging UGOET’s meeting minutes, falsely presenting them as authentic documents signed by Dr. Chelule and others.
Also read: Mandago promises to refund Finland Scholarship ‘scam’ money