How student from another county applied for Finland scholarship

A former senior accountant failed to explain to the court how his daughter, a resident of Kericho County, applied for the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Programme.

David Kipngetich, on Friday last week testified before Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege that he hails from Kericho but was working for Uasin Gishu county government as a senior accountant until April 2022.

This came up during the hearing of the Sh1.1 billion Finland Education Programme case against Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and two county officials, Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei continued.

The three face 10 counts of conspiracy to steal, stealing, abuse of office and forgery, leading to misuse of the Finland Programme money deposited by parents in the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Fund account.

When he was cross-examined by lawyers Fidel Limo, Elijah Kibet, and Stephen Kibungei, Kipngetich was unable to explain how his daughter’s name appeared on the list of students set to go abroad.

He admitted that, unlike other students who applied from Uasin Gishu, his daughter though not eligible, did not pay the Sh9,000 required for the programme’s interview and application.

“My daughter did the interview. I did not pay the interview fees. She passed,” he told the court.

Kibungei pressed Kipngetich to explain how his daughter’s entry into the programme was unique compared to other students.

“Kindly read the eligibility requirement and criteria as per the advert placed by the county government of Uasin Gishu,” said the lawyer.

“For students to qualify, they were supposed to be residents of Uasin Gishu. My daughter and I are not residents there. I only worked in the county government,” said the accountant.

The second requirement, the court heard, was that for students to qualify for the programme, they were supposed to confirm their studies by May 24, 2022.

However, Kipngetich testified that his daughter confirmed her studies around August 2022, three months after the required time.

Kibungei told the court that over 10 parents and a student who testified before Kipngetich, said that they were only issued with an acceptance letter after paying Sh918,000 fees for the programme.

However, it was Kipngetich’s testimony that his daughter was issued with the letter, three months before he paid the fees.

“Are you confirming to this court that you corrupted your way for your daughter to enter the programme because you worked for the county government? Are you an honest man?” Posed Kibungei.

“I am an honest man, I was asked to pay Sh9,000 for the interview but I did not,” he answered.

Kipngetich, however, testified that he paid the Sh918,000 on October 7, 2022, and the alleged remaining fee of Sh259,000 on April 3, 2023. In total, he paid Sh1.177 million.

He said that after finishing the payment, they were told to wait but to date, the daughter has not gone to Finland. The accountant blamed Rono and Lelei for his troubles.

“My daughter did not get her Visa, I complained but it reached a point when the county government said they would only deal with the students. They should have told me the programme will not come to fruition,” he said.

During cross-examination by Limo, Kipngetich said he initially trusted Lelei and Rono because they were his colleagues.

He described the two as dishonest because they were running the programme but did not inform him when they realised it was heading nowhere.

“Between you who sneaked in your child and did not adhere to the minimum requirements for the programme and Rono and Lelei, who is dishonest?” Posed the lawyer.

Kipngetich insisted that he was a trustworthy person but failed to explain how his daughter was a beneficiary to the point of doing online classes.

Three other parents testified that they paid the Sh9,000 for the interview and the Sh918,000 to get the acceptance letter.

The case will continue from September 9 to September 12.