Over 200 Victims of Uasin Gishu Overseas Study Scam Face Major Setback as County Government Seeks High Court Intervention
As a result of the county government’s decision to escalate the matter to the High Court, Eldoret Small Claims Court Presiding Magistrate, Tabitha Mbugua, has postponed the delivery of her judgment on the case.
Finland and Canada parents demonstrate in Eldoret demanding a refund of their money
More than 200 victims who lost millions of shillings in the failed Uasin Gishu overseas study program have encountered a significant setback in their efforts to seek refunds from the county government leadership and embattled Senator Jackson Mandago.
This development follows the regional government’s move to the High Court in Eldoret, where they are seeking orders to suspend a pending judgment from the Small Claims Court. The affected parents and students had previously sued Governor Jonathan Bii and his deputy, John Barorot, in this court.
Additional parties involved in the lawsuit include the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust, Meshack Rono, Joseph Maritim, Joel Ruto, and Joshua Lelei.
In their petition, submitted by a team of four lawyers led by Boaz Bulbul, the county government leadership is requesting that the case be refiled in the High Court. They argue that this is necessary to ensure justice for all parties involved. The defense team further contended that the Small Claims Court, where the case was initially filed by the affected parents and students, exhibited bias against the county from the outset, particularly when the hearing began in early December 2023.
As a result of the county government’s decision to escalate the matter to the High Court, Eldoret Small Claims Court Presiding Magistrate, Tabitha Mbugua, has postponed the delivery of her judgment on the case.
During the proceedings at the Small Claims Court, the students, represented by their parents, testified that they had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the county government for a study program that ultimately failed.
One of the aggrieved parents, Apolo Kipkoech, broke down in tears as he recounted how he paid Ksh 1 million in school fees for his daughter through Kenya Commercial Bank’s Eldoret branch after signing an MOU with the Uasin Gishu county government. Kipkoech implored the court, stating, “I want the county government to refund the money because I paid hoping that my daughter would go overseas, but instead, she is still at home.”
Another parent, Milcah Limo, whose daughter lost Ksh 950,000, testified that she was provided with an account number by a county legal officer and made the payment as instructed. Limo expressed her frustration, saying, “My daughter was supposed to fly to Canada and join Thompson River University. I gave her money to pay for the program last October, but she has not been able to travel to Canada. I want the county to refund Ksh 1 million to enable me to plan for her future. She is just staying at home.”
Senator Mandago, along with Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei, are also facing similar charges in a Nakuru court. The trio, who have denied charges related to conspiracy to steal Ksh 1.1 billion from a KCB account in Eldoret registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund, are currently out on bail, each having posted Ksh 500,000.
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