Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, along with his co-accused individuals in the alleged Finland/Canada scholarship fraud, will remain in police custody overnight and will be presented in court for arraignment on Thursday morning.
Following a warrant of arrest issued due to his failure to appear in court for plea taking, Mandago voluntarily appeared at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices in Nakuru. The senator, along with county officials Meshack Rono, Joseph Maritim, and Joshua Lelei, stands accused of collaborating to embezzle Ksh.1.1 billion from a Kenya Commercial Bank account in Eldoret that was registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund. The fund was intended to cover overseas university fees for students in a scholarship program.
After being questioned by DCI officers, Mandago was moved to the Central Police Station in Nakuru East for detention.
President William Ruto, who was in Uasin Gishu for the start of the three-day Devolution Conference, addressed the scandal. He acknowledged the challenges arising from the situation, which has left numerous students stranded and parents facing financial losses. President Ruto urged anyone involved in the misappropriation of scholarship funds to take the initiative to refund the money. He emphasized that there would be no leniency in this matter, stating that those who had misused the funds should arrange for repayment promptly, or face the consequences.
“In relation to the Finland situation, I’m aware of the issues at hand. Some parents have contributed money, and it’s unclear where that money has gone,” President Ruto conveyed to the local residents. “If someone has misused that money, they should plan to repay it early or they will face the consequences. There’s no room for coddling here; if someone has used someone else’s money or sold someone’s property, they must return it.”