Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, along with County official Joshua Lelei and Funds Director Meshack Rono, appeared at the Nakuru Law Courts.
They face 10 charges for misappropriating over Ksh1.1 billion in the Finland Education Scandal. The charges include conspiracy to steal, stealing, abuse of office, and forgery.
Mandago is accused of abusing his office between March 2021 and September 2022. This is for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with universities in Finland and Canada without County Assembly approval. This scam ruined the hopes of over 200 students including Mercy Tarus wanting to study abroad.
The case has 202 witnesses set to testify by Thursday.
“I was paid 700,000” Chelule Testifies
Joel Chelule, the first witness, denied being the chairperson of the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust.
Chelule accompanied Mandago on a trip to Finland and Canada in August 2021 to sign a memorandum with three universities. He denied knowing his role on the trip and received Sh700,000 as per diem.
He said he was unaware of his trustee status until September 2022, when he was asked to respond to a petition by parents, who sought answers about the overseas program after they had paid for it.
Chelule stated, “At that time, we were told we are CECs and were asked to respond to a petition.”
Board of Trustees in Finland Education Scandal
Chelule was part of a six-person trustee group, including Joel Ruto, Meshack Rono, Loice Chelimo, David Kesio, and Susan Keino.
During an October 3, 2022 meeting, Chelule and other trustees, except Susan Keino, learned they were appointed trustees over a fund at KCB Bank Eldoret branch.
Chelule, Kesio, and Ms. Chelimo visited the bank for more details.
But they were told only Principal Trustee Joseph Maritim could access fund details.
The trio discovered that documents, including ID cards, KRA pins, a trust deed with forged signatures, and minutes of a fake meeting, had been submitted at the bank.
And this led them to quit. They wrote to Mr. Maritim over the same. But he did not respond.
The trustees were summoned by the County Assembly in February 2023 and later by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). The case hearing will end on Thursday, July 4.
By Vivian K.