Senator Jackson Mandago was granted release earlier this morning on a Ksh 2 million bond or a Ksh 500,000 cash bail.
This follows his arrest, alongside two others, on Wednesday afternoon by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The trio spent the night at Central Police Station in Nakuru East.
Senator Jackson Mandago in court alongside Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei. Photo| Courtesy
Senator Mandago, along with his associates Joseph Maritim, Meshack Rono, and Joshua Lelei, stand accused of conspiring to embezzle Ksh 1.1 billion from a KCB account located in Eldoret.
An active arrest warrant had been issued for the four. However, Joseph Maritim managed to evade detainment due to his current absence from the country.
The funds at the center of this controversy were initially meant for overseas university scholarships, affording Uasin Gishu students the opportunity to study in Finland and Canada.
This morning, Senator Mandago, Joshua Lelei, and Meshack Rono appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Alloyce Ndege. Magistrate Ndege ruled that the trio would return at a later date for their plea-taking.
However, Joseph Maritim’s lawyer, Sam Yego, invoked the same bond terms for his client. Sam Yego asked the court to lift the arrest warrant, as Maritim is currently located abroad.
Additionally, President William Ruto vowed that those responsible for the failure of the scholarship program would face the full extent of the law. He gave this assurance during yesterday’s Devolution Conference.
The president’s assurance came in response to the mounting pressure from affected parents and students, who issued an ultimatum for a complete refund of their money within one week.
The aggrieved parties are now demanding a refund of over Ksh 300 million from the Uasin Gishu County Government. Meanwhile, the parents and students have declared their intent to continue their protests until every cent of their money is returned.
