A Nakuru magistrate's court has acquitted Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago of conspiracy charges linked to the alleged misappropriation of Sh1.1 billion under the county's overseas scholarship programme, bringing to an end a case that had been before the court for more than three years.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, the trial magistrate found that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations against Mandago to the required legal standard.
"The prosecution failed to prove its case against the accused person," the court ruled, finding that the evidence presented was insufficient to sustain the conspiracy charges.
Mandago, who served as Uasin Gishu governor when the programme was introduced, had been accused of conspiring in the alleged mismanagement of funds collected from parents and students seeking overseas education opportunities.
The case revolved around the Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Scholarship Programme, which facilitated the placement of students in universities in Finland and Canada. Under the programme, families were required to deposit up to Sh1 million into a designated trust account to secure admission and facilitate travel and tuition arrangements.
The prosecution alleged that more than Sh1.1 billion collected through the programme had been misappropriated, causing losses to hundreds of parents and students after many failed to secure the promised placements abroad.
However, the court found that the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to establish Mandago's criminal liability in the alleged conspiracy.
"The evidence presented did not meet the threshold required for a conviction," the court stated in its ruling.
The acquittal clears Mandago of the conspiracy charges he had faced since the case was first filed. However, the overseas scholarship programme remains under public scrutiny following complaints from affected families who claim they lost millions of shillings.
Mandago's acquittal brings to a close the criminal proceedings against him over the conspiracy allegations surrounding the controversial overseas scholarship programme.
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