Senator Mandago, co-accused arraigned over Finland, Canada scholarship scandal

Senator Mandago was arraigned alongside two other defendants, Joshua Lelei and Mishack Rono, because the third defendant, Joseph Maritim, is currently out of the country.

The three are accused of conspiring to steal Ksh.1.1 billion from a Kenya Commercial Bank account in Eldoret registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund, which was intended for overseas university fees for scholarship students.

After appearing before the DCI on Wednesday, the Senator was grilled before being transferred to the Central Police Station in Nakuru East on Wednesday evening, where he spent the night.

With hundreds of graduates affected and their parents taking to the streets to demand refunds from the county government, the Finland and Canada scholarship programme scandal has sparked outrage and protests in Uasin Gishu.

Mandago has already given a statement to detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to assist with the investigation.

He has also been questioned by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) about his role in the programme, which was launched during his tenure as Governor.