Four years down the line, every other thing surrounding the Ksh.177 million fraud case in Maasai Mara University has been “taken care of” apart from the actual fraud case. Which begs the questions, did Spencer Sankale (the whistleblower) make up this story? Were Citizen Tv reporters Waihiga Mwaura and Asha Mwilu fed absolute lies? Or, is someone (the court) deliberately not trying to find out the truth behind this tale?
On September 2, 2019, an expose on Citizen Tv exposed dubious ways in which Mary Walingo and four others embezzled funds from Maasai Mara University. The entire scheme was so much “normalized” to the extent of code words and names being intorduced. According to the whistleblower, the syndicate involved cows, grass and bundles of grass. Vice Chancellor Maasai Mara University, Professor Mary Walingo was the “big cow”. Other parties involved were just “cows”. Money was dubbed “grass” whereas each bundle of Ksh. 100,000 was referred to as “bundle of grass.”
Since the “Mara Heist” story hit the airwaves, so much has been done around restoring the glory of Professor Mary Walingo and her co-accused. However, very little has been done towards authenticating the story and getting to the bottom of it. Indeed, we are living in times where a staggering Ksh. 177 million shillings can disappear from a learning institution. No explanations offered. But with all due respect, let us reinstate the main suspect in this pending corruption case back to her official duties and compensate her. After denying not one, but ten counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and abuse of office, Walingo and her co-accused were granted Ksh. 20 million bond or Ksh. 10 million cash bail.
Have the accused ever been found guilty or innocent of the charges laid against them? The court cannot tell yet. Whatever happened to the statement, Guilty until proven otherwise! Yet, in December 28, 2022, the Nakuru Court temporarily suspended this fraud case. The court order was extended to a later date in January 2023, which was further extended to February 15, 2023. Nonetheless, the only thing not facing extension from the court is Professor Walingo’s reinstatement and compensation. In September 2022, Justice Hellen Wasilwa overruled the decision by the university to terminate Mary Walingo’s employment.
As a result, Mary Walingo was reinstated as Vice Chancellor, Maasai Mara University by the court. Additionally, the court also issued an order that she be paid half her accrued salary since her suspension. Mary Walingo and four others were suspended on August 28, 2020. As of a few days ago, according to the court, Maasai Mara University owed Vice Chancellor Mary Walingo Ksh. 81 million. The learning institution has since been ordered to pay the Professor in full for wrongful dismissal. According to Mary Walingo, she has been facing intimidation, harassment and discrimination.
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The Professor has allegedly been facing all these from; the university, its council, the Education Cabinet Secretary, the Public Service Commission and even the Attorney General. Consequently, making her unable to conduct her duties. One might only hope that amongst these duties is actually finding out why she was accused of fraud and where Ksh. 177 million belonging to the university vanished to. As it appears, the university is about to to pay its dues for doing the Vice Chancellor dirty. Additionally, the whistleblower, Spencer Sankale also paid his dues for being an upright citizen.
After coming out with “his truth,” Spencer Sankale faced a disciplinary committee on June 16, 2020. He was found guilty of an array of offenses and on July 19, 2021, the man was duly sacked. Spencer Sankale was found guilty of nine offenses;
- Libel
- Defamation
- Incitement
- Falsely maligning the university’s image
- Malicious misrepresentation of his employer
- Insurbodination
- Disregard of the university’s standards and procedures
- Cyberbullying
Where is justice for Maasai Mara University in all these? Why would an institution that was “robbed off” Ksh. 177 million be made to suffer an extra cost of Ksh. 81 million in compensation? Who is to be held accountable for the funds embezzled from the institution? Because, if such a public case is being treated as water under the bridge, one might be left in horror of how the not-so-public cases surrounding the university are treated.
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Vice Chancellor Professor Mary Walingo was accused alongside;
- Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Planning, Simon Kasine
- Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics, John Almadi
- Finance Officer, Anaclet Okumu
- Vice Chancellor’s driver, Noor Hassan Abdi
