Maasai Mara University VC, four others held at Nakuru Police station awaiting plea-taking

Maasai Mara University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mary Walingo (pictured) and four other senior University staff are set to enter plea to charges of alleged misappropriation of public funds.

Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Daniel Karuri confirmed that the plea will be done via video link after the Nakuru Law Courts closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the arrest of  Prof Walingo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Finance Prof Simon Kasaine Ole Seno, Finance Officer Anaclet Biket Okumu, Prof John Almadi Obere who was the acting Deputy VC Academic and Student Affairs between 2016 and 2019 and the Vice Chancellor’s driver Noor Hassan Abdi.

On Wednesday, the five appeared at Nakuru Central Police Station where the Judiciary has already set up a video link for the suspects to take a plea.

The facility is linked to the ODPP and the judiciary.

The police station was a beehive of activity on Wednesday morning as lawyers, judicial staff and police prepared for the plea-taking.

The DPP had directed investigations into alleged misappropriation of funds at the University.

The DPP noted that due to unscrupulous activities of withdrawal of funds without accounting for the same, Maasai Mara University suffered a loss of approximately Sh177, 007, 754.

DPP Noordin Haji having considered the evidence presented to him said he was satisfied it was in the public interest that the matter is prosecuted.

“Therefore in applying the evidential test, I have considered all the evidence and information availed to my office and concluded that it is in the public interest to prosecute this case considering that such infractions are crimes against the public,” stated Haji in a statement.

Prof Walingo and others are being held at the Nakuru Central Police Station.

More to follow…