DPP Allows EACC To Charge Senator Jackson Mandago

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has announced that it has received the green light from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to charge Uasin Gishu senator Jackson Mandago over the Finland scholarship saga.

This was confirmed on Friday, December 8 by EACC CEO, Twalib Mbarak who was speaking in Murang'a County during a public engagement forum preceding the International Day celebrated on December 9.

Mbarak further revealed that the commission has acquired evidence it will use against the former governor.

“We have recommended him to be charged and have received the go-ahead from DPP because we found something about him,” he said.

EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak during a press briefing in Murang'a County on December 8, 2023. /ALICE WAITHERA

Mandago was arrested in August 2023 in Eldoret over the controversial Finland and Canada Education programme.

The arrest came moments after President William Ruto warned those who stole millions of shillings meant for providing scholarships to students from Uasin Gishu County that no gaps would be left in the quest to secure justice for those affected.

Ruto spoke on Wednesday, August 16 in Eldoret ahead of the official opening of the 10th Devolution Conference where he assured residents and parents in particular that the monies they paid to the county will be recovered by anti-corruption agencies.

"There are parents who gave monies which no one knows where they went. If there is anyone who misused that money, that person should arrange to repay in advance or he will be in trouble.

"There is no room for tolerance in terms of the money from someone who sold his livestock or farmlands. He or she must be refunded," Ruto ordered.

The parents had earlier appealed to the Senate and President Ruto for help to be refunded the money they had paid to the county government.

Mandago was accused of conspiring to steal Ksh1 billion from an account domiciled at a local bank in Eldoret registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund meant for overseas university fees for students under the Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Programme.

A warrant of arrest was previously issued against him with the National Police Service (NPS) revealing that he went into hiding since Tuesday, August 15 while revealing that it was in the process of executing a warrant of arrest issued against him.

On Thursday, August 17, the Senator was however set free alongside two other accused persons in the Finland and Canada Scholarship scandals by a Nakuru Law Court.

The trio were released on a bond of Ksh2 million with a surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Ksh500,000.