While majority of victims of the controversial Finland education scholarship scandal lost money, one parent profited from the botched programme in Uasin Gishu.
Mr William Ayabeyi testified on Tuesday that he earned close to Sh200,000 after his daughter failed to travel abroad under the scholarship programme.
Testifying before Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege, Mr Ayabeyi confirmed that he received a refund of Sh1.2 million, despite having paid Sh1.072 million in school fees for his daughter Purity Jerop who was supposed to pursue a nursing course at Stenberg University in Canada.
“I received about Sh1.2 million refund from Sternberg University after my daughter failed to travel to Canada for her university education,” said Mr Ayabeyi.
Jerop had received an acceptance letter from the university on February 11, 2023 and was scheduled to travel in April 2023.
The retired civil servant revealed that he received the refund in US dollars when the exchange rate had shifted, resulting in a higher amount compared to what he initially paid.
Senator Jackson Mandago (right) at the Nakuru Law Courts on October 2, 2023 for the mention of the Finland saga case.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
According to Mr Ayabeyi, he was first asked to pay Sh650,000 but was later informed the full amount required was Sh1.072 million.
He was however unable to explain why he was refunded while other parents who had applied for refunds had not received any response.
Mr Ayabeyi was testifying during cross-examination by defense counsels in the case where Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago is charged with misappropriating Sh1.1 billion meant for the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Scholarship Programme.
The three face 10 counts including conspiracy to commit an offense, theft, abuse of office and forgery related to the embezzlement of funds deposited by parents in the county’s trust fund account.
Parents and their children who are affected by the Finland and Canada students airlift programme through Uasin Gishu County government, during a demonstration in Eldoret town, demanding a refund of their money.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya I Nation Media Group
The alleged conspiracy took place between March 1, 2021 and September 12, 2022 involving funds from a bank in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
So far, 50 out of 202 witnesses have testified including senior county officials, parents and students. Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Chelilim Bii who was listed among the witnesses failed to appear in court. The prosecution told the court that he had not been bonded.
Defense lawyers Fidel Limo, Elijah Kibet and Stephen Kibungei questioned the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) over the governor’s absence.
