The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga has approved new charges against Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and seven others related to the Sh50 million Finland education saga. This decision comes after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) requested critical evidence from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) but was unable to obtain it, hindering the progress of the case.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has been investigating a Sh1.1 billion scholarship program initiated by the Uasin Gishu County government during Mandago’s tenure. Officials indicated that the ODPP identified several gaps as the case commenced in a Nakuru court. Subsequently, the ODPP asked the DCI for key documents necessary for the prosecution to move forward.
In response, the DCI suggested that the ODPP withdraw the current case involving Mandago and three others from the Nakuru court and substitute it with the EACC case, which has been under investigation and holds the required information. The DCI noted that they had not been able to trace the money trail, which the EACC had established during their investigation.
Deputy Director of Investigations at the DCI, Paul Wachira, communicated this intent to withdraw the charges against Mandago, Meshack Rono, Joseph Kipkemboi Maritim, and Joshua Lelei in a letter dated September 19. The DCI acknowledged that there were several areas they had not covered before the matter was brought to court.
Wachira explained that the EACC possesses stronger evidence that could lead to the suspects’ conviction and facilitate the recovery of the funds. He stated, “The number of students admitted to Finland’s universities, namely Tampere, Laurea, Jyvaskylla, Gradia Consortium College, Metropolia, and LUT, and the amount of academic fees and other incidental costs paid by each student was not established in our probe.”
He further noted, “There was no securing of original documents as they had already been collected by EACC, and the number of students admitted to Canada’s universities, including Thompson Rivers, Northern Lights College, and Sternberg College, and the amount of academic fees and other incidental costs paid by each student was also unknown.” Additionally, he emphasized, “The number of visas processed at the Embassy of Finland and the High Commission of Canada for students planning to travel to Finland and Canada, respectively, as well as the visa processing fees, was not known.”
He added that there are agents who served as intermediaries between the County Government of Uasin Gishu and the universities in both countries, and their evidence is crucial. He noted that the issue of the Pathways studies program, which was introduced later by Finnish universities, became relevant during the hearings but was not adequately addressed.
The DCI indicated they had not established the timing of the program’s introduction, how it was offered—whether online or in person—who offered it, the cost per student, the number of participants, and whether this cost was included in the total academic year fee.
“All the above information was sought through Interpol and Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to both countries, but so far no response has been received,” Wachira stated. “These issues have prominently featured in the hearings, and the defense counsels are taking advantage of the lack of such important information,” he added.
Wachira explained that since the EACC possesses original documents obtained from the County Government of Uasin Gishu and has traveled to Finland and Canada for investigations to gather evidence from various institutions, it is prudent for the anti-graft agency to present their case.
“It is our request that the case before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Nakuru, court number 5, be withdrawn under Section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code, and the accused persons be charged afresh via the case being investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC),” he stated.
EACC detectives have traveled to Finland and Canada to interrogate students involved in the saga. Based on these new developments, Ingonga issued new orders approving the EACC probe file. He wrote to the EACC on September 25, approving the new charges and identifying more suspects.
