Mwalimu-G
Elder Lister
Reprieve for Mandago as DCI now seeks to withdraw Sh1 billion case
By Daniel Chege | 9m ago
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has recommended the withdrawal of the Sh1.1 billion Finland and Canada Education Programme Scandal case facing Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and two county officials.
The DCI wants the case replaced by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption (EACC) against Mandago and seven others. In the current case, Mr Mandago is charged alongside county officials Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei, before Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege.
On Wednesday, when the case came up for mention there was no mention of the withdrawal. “The case will proceed from the week commencing on December 2, the prosecution should provide witnesses scheduled to testify,” directed Ndege.
On September 25, the Director of Public Prosecution Renson Ingonga wrote to the EACC, approving the new charges against Mandago. The charges, according to Ingonga, would also include more suspects.
The new suspects will include other county officials from the education department, gender, youth affairs and companies involved in the alleged scandal. Ingonga’s recommendation followed the DCI letter dated September 19, 2024 and seen by The Standard, urging the DPP to withdraw the case. In the letter, Deputy Director of Investigations Paul Wachira indicated that the DCI wanted the charges against Mandago, Rono and Lelei withdrawn.
