Bank official summoned in Sh1.1B Finland education fraud case

A court in Nakuru has summoned a bank official in the ongoing Sh1.1 billion Finland and Canada education programme scandal case.

Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege on Thursday, summoned Domitila Mailo of Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to testify in the fraud and forgery case facing Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago.

Mandago is charged alongside county officials Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei.

Ms Mailo is supposed to appear on November 27 and testify as a prosecution witness.

Ndege issued the summons after Mailo failed to appear even after being bonded to testify in the case.

Prosecutor Moses Macharia said Mailo was unable to attend court after injuring her ankle and urged the court to summon her.

According to Macharia, the official will shed light on the account into which parents from Uasin Gishu paid fees for their children to study abroad.

The summons were issued after witness number 136, Koech Kipkosgei, testified against the three.

Kipkosgei testified that he paid Sh650,000 as school fees plus Sh10,000 registration fees for his son Paul Kipchirchir.

"He was to study nursing. I was informed that the total amount I was supposed to pay was Sh1.6 million," testified Kipkosgei.

He said that Mr Lelei, acting as an official of the county, informed him and other parents that the programme was good and he even knew that other students had travelled.

Kipkosgei testified that the programme was, however, delayed and parents started worrying, which discouraged him from adding more money.

"We complained and went to the office to enquire about the delay but we got no answers. My son did not travel and that is why I took legal action," he testified against the three county officials.

The case will continue on November 27 and 28.