Release of Jackson Mandago and Accused in Scholarship Scandal on Bail
Jackson Mandago and two other defendants in the Finland and Canada Scholarship scandals have been released on bail by a court in Nakuru, Kenya.
In light of reports that a fourth suspect escaped the country, the Nakuru court has postponed the suspects’ plea hearings. The trio was released on a Ksh2 million surety or an alternative cash bail of Ksh500,000.
The judge has ordered that the date for entering a plea will be determined within two hours and has instructed the prosecution to separate the case so that the first suspect who remains at large will be charged separately.
Senior Principal Magistrate Alloys Ndege asserted, “The fact that a ruling has not yet been rendered should not prevent bail.”
Mandago and his co-defendant are accused of defrauding parents of over a billion shillings collected under the pretense of sponsoring students to study in Canada and Finland.
The attorney for the first defendant stated in court that his client had not been summoned by the Director of Criminal Investigations and had learned of the arrests through social media.
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The DCI asserted on Wednesday that the suspect departed the country as a result of the investigations, which the defendant’s attorney refuted in court.
“As an officer of this court, I have advised my client, who is currently in Canada, to return to Kenya, face his accusers, and answer the charges against him,” the attorney stated.
He asked the court to postpone the case of the first defendant while proceeding with the hearings of the remaining defendants until his client could return to the country.
Senior Principal Magistrate Alloys Ndege urged any aggrieved party to file an appeal rather than engage in a verbal brawl in court.
President William Ruto informed the residents of Uasin Gishu on Wednesday, August 16 that he will provide local scholarships to the victims of the scholarship scandal once the court has resolved the case.
This occurred when the President addressed enthusiastic locals before attending the 8th Devolution Conference 2023 in Eldoret from August 15-19.
Release of Jackson Mandago and Accused in Scholarship Scandal on Bail
