Uasin Gishu Senator Mandago, along with two co-accused persons, has been granted release on a bond of Ksh. 2 million, with the option of providing a surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Ksh. 500,000.

During their appearance before the Nakuru court on Thursday, Senior Principal Magistrate Alloyce Ndege ordered that the trio must reappear on a later date for the commencement of plea-taking.

Senator Mandago finds himself entangled in a controversy alongside three others, all under scrutiny in connection with the Finland and Canada Overseas Education Programme, which has become entwined in a scandalous affair.

The three persons implicated in the matter are former officials Joseph Maritim (1st respondent), Meshack Rono (2nd respondent), and Joshua Lelei (3rd respondent).

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Joshua Maritim was conspicuously absent from the proceedings due to his current location abroad, resulting in an outstanding arrest warrant against him.

Maritim’s legal representative Sam Yego made a formal request for his client not to be subjected to the same conditions of the granted bond, while also urging the removal of the existing arrest warrant.

“My client is not a fugitive, he was not summoned to record a statement, neither was he informed to appear in court today,” he said.

“I have explained why he is in Canada and he went there way before investigations commenced. As to why he is singled out among the four accused persons for a warrant of arrest I do not understand.”

The allegations against them center on a purported plot to misappropriate Ksh. 1.1 billion from a Kenya Commercial Bank account domiciled in Eldoret and registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund. The funds were initially designated for covering overseas university tuition fees for students awarded scholarships.

Senator Mandago underwent rigorous questioning before being relocated to Nakuru East’s Central Police station on Wednesday where he spent the night there.