Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago has been arrested today.
This happened just hours after an arrest warrant was issued due to his failure to appear in court for plea taking.
The arrest took place at his Eldoret residence and he was subsequently taken to the DCI regional office in Nakuru.
Jackson Mandago, Senator Uasin Gishu County and former Governor Uasin Gishu. Photo| Courtesy
Senator Mandago is one of four individuals who have come under intense scrutiny in connection with the Finland and Canada Overseas Education Programme. The other officials implicated in the case are Joseph Kipkemoi Maritim, Meshak Rono, and Joshua Kipkemoi Lelei.
The Nakuru court issued the arrest warrant on Wednesday. Therefore, this compelled law enforcement to take the senator into custody to face a range of charges in court.
Mandago and his co-accused are alleged to have conspired to misappropriate Ksh. 1.1 billion from a Kenya Commercial Bank account in Eldoret. This account was registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund. The money was intended for overseas university fees for students participating in the Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Program.
The collapsed overseas education scholarship program has sparked significant outrage and mass protests within Uasin Gishu. Numerous graduates have been affected by the controversy, prompting both students and parents to take to the streets. Their protests aim towards demanding refunds from the county government.
Senator Mandago has provided a statement to detectives from the DCI as part of the ongoing investigation. He has also undergone intense questioning by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) regarding his role in the program.
Notably, the initiative was initiated during Mandago’s tenure as Governor. President William Ruto has today made a statement to affected parents and students saying that those involved in the scandal should prepare themselves to pay.
