By Robert Mutasi 
The High Court in Nakuru has acquitted Uasin Gishu Sen. Jackson Mandago in the Sh1.1 billion county overseas scholarship case.
Delivering the ruling Thursday, July 23, the court said prosecutors did not prove the conspiracy and theft allegations against the former governor to the required legal standard.
Mandago was charged alongside two former county officials after money contributed by parents for students to study abroad, mainly in Finland and Canada, allegedly disappeared.
The program, launched when Mandago was governor, required each beneficiary to pay up to Sh1 million into a county-managed trust account to cater for tuition, accommodation and travel.
Problems emerged in September 2021 when parents complained about lack of communication and students in Finland reported they were facing eviction over unpaid fees. The county later told parents the fund had been exhausted and could no longer sustain the students.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, which investigated the matter, found that parents had contributed about Sh957 million to the scheme, but only Sh257 million was accounted for as having been spent on fees and upkeep. The commission alleged that about Sh700 million was misappropriated.
The revelations sparked protests in Eldoret and Uasin Gishu, leading to the arrest of Mandago and his co-accused in August 2023 on charges of conspiracy to commit theft, abuse of office and breach of trust.
In court, Mandago denied wrongdoing, saying the initiative was meant to expand access to international education for needy students and that challenges were caused by foreign intermediaries and currency fluctuations.
Justice said Thursday the evidence adduced was insufficient to sustain a conviction, bringing to an end a legal battle that lasted more than six years.
The decision drew mixed reactions from affected families, some of whom had followed the proceedings from Nakuru and Eldoret. Many parents are still demanding refunds and compensation for learners whose studies were cut short.
The prosecution said it will study the judgment before deciding whether to appeal.
The case has become a reference point for accountability in county-run foreign education programs.