DPP Orders Arrest, Prosecution Of Jackson Mandago In KSh 1.1b Finland Scholarship Saga

• The ODPP granted the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission approval to prosecute Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago
• EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak disclosed that the commission recommended the prosecution of individuals suspected of graft
• The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions sanctioned the inquiry file forwarded by EACC, paving the way for charges against Mandago and three other county officials

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has received the go-ahead from the ODPP to charge Uasin Gishu senator Jackson Mandago.

During a public lecture from former head of public service Ambassador Francis Muthaura, EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak said the commission had recommended the prosecution of Kenyans suspected of having been involved in graft.

Mbarak stated that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had approved the inquiry file forwarded by the EACC for Mandago and three other senior officials of the county for prosecution.

Mandago will be charged with conspiracy to commit an offence of economic crime, abuse of office, breach of trust, fraudulent acquisition of public property, and uttering false documents contrary to section 353 of the penal code, among others.

"Our quarterly report have got big cases and quite a number of big cases; some of them is about the senator Uasin Gishu. Where this is the famous Finland scandal. For the senator, we have recommended him to be charged, and we are in the process, I think we got a go-ahead to charge him and for him, we have recommended his prosecution in relation to the famous Finland scandal," he said.

What was found in Mandago probe

The EACC has been investigating the KSh 1.1 billion scholarship program founded by the Uasin Gishu County Government during Mandago's era.

In the quarterly report published by EACC, the Finland scholarship saga is among the 39 cases listed as having been investigated by the ODPP, while eight were approved for prosecution out of 43 forwarded by the commission.

The probe revealed that KSh 284.4 million was paid to universities in Finland and Canada, KSh 315.9 million was paid to foreign agencies and KSh 50.7 million was paid to local agencies.

KSh 308.9 million and KSh 74.2 million was reportedly withdrawn in cash investigations.

Oscar Sudi asks Mandago to sell land to repay parents

Earlier, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi asked Mandago to sell land and repay parents whose money was lost in the Finland Saga.

Sudi explained that the four individuals whose names have been mentioned in the Finland education scandal must ensure they are refunded the money because they are not poor.

The MP also confirmed that money was withdrawn from the accounts and that there was evidence that could be provided to the public.