A Nakuru Court Wednesday issued a warrant to arrest Uasin Gishu senator Jackson Mandago and three others over claims of abuse of office and stealing.
Details of the charges Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and three others will face have come out.
He and three other top county officials are wanted by police for prosecution over the county’s scholarship scam. The other officials are Joseph Kipkemoi Maritim, Meshak Rono and Joshua Kipkemoi Lelei.
Police said their efforts to get the three since Tuesday night were futile. They are supposed to face charges of conspiracy to commit felony, stealing and abuse of office.
They are also accused of forgery. They are accused of conspiring to steal Sh1 billion from an account domiciled at the Kenya Commercial Bank in Eldoret registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund meant for overseas university fees for students under Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Programme.
Police said Mandago has been on the run since Tuesday night. This prompted them to move to Nakuru court which issued the warrant.
“On abuse of office, a charge sheet read; Jackson Kiplagat Mandago, on diverse dates between March 1 and March 31, 2022 at Eldoret town within Uasin Gishu County, being the Governor of Vasin Gishu County arbitrarily entered into a Memorandum of Understanding between various Universities in Finland and Canada on behalf of Uasin Gishu County Government without resolution and approval by County Assembly of Uasin Gishu, an act which was prejudicial to the County Government of Uasin Gishu.”
The other three officials are supposed to face stealing charges.
“Joseph Kipkemoi Maritim, Meshak Rono and Joshua Kipkemoi Lelei, on diverse dates between the month of June 2021 and 12th September 2022 at Kenya Commercial Bank Eldoret East Branch in Eldoret Town within Uasin Gishu County, jointly with others not before court stole Kshs.
56,512,300/= from account number 1285922978 registered in the name of Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust, the property of Uasin Gishu Overseas Education.
The charge sheet read on Lelei: “On diverse dates between August 12, 2021 and September 12, 2022 at Kenya Commercial Bank Eldoret East Branch in Eldoret Town within Uasin Gishu County, jointly with others not before court stole Kshs. 2,707,000/= from account number 1285922778 registered in the name of Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust, the property of Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust.”
Mandago broke his silence on Wednesday in a tweet.
“There are rumours all over Eldoret Town that DCI Officers have been looking for me the whole night. As a law abiding citizen, I am available once summoned.’
“I have met with the leadership of parents and agreed on the way forward as per their press statement issued last evening,” he said.
The developments came after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution gave consent for the prosecution of the officials in the saga.
The detectives handling the matter said they had tried to reach the wanted officials in vain. They claimed they were attending the Devolution Conference in Eldoret town.
This prompted police to move to Nakuru law courts to seek warrants to arrest the suspects. The warrants were issued by the court prompting a search on him and the other three.
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