Court told of exaggerated fees in Finland education scam case

From Left: Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, Joshua Lelei and Meshack Rono before Nakuru Law Courts. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard].

A Nakuru court was told how universities in Finland exaggerated fees after students from Uasin Gishu County were subjected to pathway studies that were not initially part of the education programme.

Students who took the witness stand in the hearing of the case against Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and two others, said they discovered late the pathway studies.

The studies offered both online and physically attracted extra fees of between Sh433,000 and Sh563,000, they told the court.

Testifying before Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege on Wednesday, three students said despite the high fees, there was no guarantee that they would travel to Finland.

They testified that they had to first pass the pathway studies before being accepted to foreign universities.

Senator Mandago, and two Uasin Gishu County officials Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei are facing ten charges of conspiracy to steal Sh1.1 billion, abuse of office and forgery in the Finland education programme saga.

Naomi Yego testified that she applied for a Degree in Nursing in Laurea University, Finland. She said she was given a breakdown of the fees.

"I was told to pay Sh918,000 as fees for a year. I was also instructed to pay Sh180,000 for accommodation, Sh100,000 as flight ticket, Sh49,000 for Visa, Sh30,000 for insurance, and Sh5,000 for Covid test," she testified.

Ms Yego testified that she was informed by county officials that the money, paid under the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust Fund Account, would be enough for one academic year.

She said she had to pay the full amount before undergoing the pathway study, where she learned Finnish Language and culture. She said she was unsuccessful and had to repeat it.

"In total, I paid Sh1.282 million but when I went for a Visa, it was rejected and I was told it was because the money paid to the university was insufficient," she said.

Yego said she was informed that she had to pay extra money to cater for the pathway studies

"My colleagues who paid the extra fee which was close to Sh600,000 went to Finland," she testified.

She said she later learnt that the fees meant for a year, only covered a semester.

In a letter from Laurea University of Applied Sciences, dated September 29, 2022, Yego was among three students rejected by the institution.despite paying over Sh1.282 million.

John Kipkemboi, testified that he heard of the programme on September 24, 2021, and he applied, and was selected to pursue physiotherapy.

He said information provided to him apart from the fee breakdown were scanty. "I paid a total of Sh1.186 million and learnt the Finnish language between May and July 2022. I passed and I even have the Visa but I did not travel because of extra fees requested," he testified.

The case continues Friday.