Victims of the Finland Education Saga have told a Nakuru Court that they missed travelling to Finland for their studies despite paying fees through Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust Account.
The victims further stated that they got to hear about the Overseas Education Program through friends whom some were beneficiaries.
Ms Jecinta Baraza a complainant in the Finland Education Saga case, revealed that in March 2022, she was informed by a friend by the name Christine Otieno( Currently in Canada) about the Program.
Testifying on Wednesday September 25, 2024 before a Nakuru court in the case where Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and two others are facing abuse of office and conspiracy to steal Sh1.1 billion charges, Ms Baraza told the Court that she was gained interest in the Program and that she wanted to travel overseas to study degree in Nursing.
“I visited the County Government of Uasin Gishu to get more details about the Program and the officials in charge of the Program informed me that I had to pay Sh 9000 for shortlisting,” she said.
In her testimony before Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege, Ms Baraza told the Court that she paid the Sh 9000 through KCB account and after a day, she was called by one of the accused Mr. Joshua Lelei informing her that she was shortlisted for interview.
The court heard that she attended the interview and sailed through.
But this was just the beginning, as she had to pay fee for her studies.
“I did the interview and passed and was required to pay fee where I made first instalment of Sh140,000 to KCB Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Account May 18, 2022 after I had started online classes and continued to study online,” she said.
She made another deposit of Sh70,000 June 8, 2022 and Sh50,000 on June 21 2022 in the same account.
Ms Baraza informed the court that she also deposited Sh200,000 June 29,2022 and Sh 250,000 on the same date in the said Account.
On July 13, 2022, she made another deposit of Sh108,000 in the same account.
Her last deposit was Sh100,000 made on October 19, 2022.
However, she revealed to the Court that her first visa application was declined by Embassy with reason that the County Government of Uasin Gishu had not made sufficient payment.
This blocked her mission of traveling to Finland as the court heard that she was supposed to travel in June 2022.
“The University had informed me via mail that I was supposed to travel in June, 2022 through the acceptance letter that I received,”
In around March 2023, Ms Baraza told the Nakuru Court that she went for second visa application using her own money but the Embassy declined again due to insufficient funds paid by the County Government of Uasin Gishu.
“In total I paid Sh 927,000 to the Uasin County Overseas Education Trust Fund.
But even with the delays and declines in Visa, Ms Baraza told the Court that the then Governor Jackson Mandago who is among the accused persons in the saga assured them at various Forums held that at long last they will travel and that they should not worry over anything concerning the Program.
” Despite all these hurdles, the then Governor Jackson Mandago assured that all is well as he is in charge of the program,” she stated in her testimony.
She told the Court that she needs nothing more than justice and that her money be refunded.
According to the witness, she was among a cohort of 34 students who went through online studies with some Finish as Lecturers. Upon completion of the online classes, only 24 made it to travel to Finland.
A Pharmacist(Diploma) by profession from Mombasa Polytechnic and witness number 27 in the case, Ms Baraza urged the court to ensure justice for the victims like her who paid money, did not travel to Finland and did not get their money refunded.
Similar sentiments were echoed as Witness number 28 in the case John Kipkemboi Rotich from Kesses, Uasin Gishu took to the doc to testify.
“I heard about the Program through advert in newspaper and soft copy that I received from my neighbor and visited the Uasin Gishu County offices and met Meshack Rono, Joshua Lelei. Together with other friends, Joshua Lelei informed us about the Program and that those interested would pay application fee of Sh 9000. I later paid sh 9000 October 11, 2021 at Uasin Gishu Overseas Account.
He informed the court that he would later attend interview, did exams and received a call from one Phyllis informing him that he had passed and qualified to attend Physiotherapy in Finland.
Meshack Rono would then give him breakdown of the fee and he paid fee in instalment May 16, 2022 paid Sh 800,000, August 15, 2022 paid sh 200,000, September 9, 2022 paid sh 177,000 to Uasin Gishu Overseas Account number KCB.
The Witness told Court that he paid a total of sh 1,186,360 was paid and between May to July he completed Finish Language Course online and passed.
“I was to be in class in Finland by September 2022 as per the information from Joshua Lelei but there was delay. We however started online courses while in Kenya but we did not like it and this is when things turned chaotic,” he said.
In November, he told Court that the Visa was out and in January he was to travel to Finland. However, an email from Finland informed him that he could not travel overseas as the County Government of Uasin Gishu had not paid full fee.
“I visited county government on the issue of our funds, but the former Deputy Governor Barorot told me this is a new Government and that I would need to pay afresh,” he stated.
Rotich who is a diploma graduate from Rift Valley Technical Institute in Electrical, told Court that the Program was managed by County Government of Uasin Gishu and therefore the officials who were in charge are to blame for their plight.
He differed with defense lawyers that the County Government of Uasin Gishu did it’s best to ensure he travels to Finland.
According to the witness, if that was the case, he would be in Finland by now.
“I totally disagree. If indeed the County Government of Uasin Gishu was concerned then I would not be in Kenya by now, I would be in Finland,” he stated.
On her part, witness number 29 Ms Naomi Yego told the Nakuru Court that she received the advert on education overseas Program from her friend Donald Korir.
She further added that throughout the process, she paid a told Sh 1,282,000 to Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Trust Account 1285922778 KCB Eldoret as per slips presented to court as evidence of same.
Despite paying the sum, Ms Naomi did not travel to Finland after failing her exams in February 2022.
She however told Court that she did the exam the second time and got results in September 2022 but still did not travel and has never been refunded her money.
The hearing of the matter continues on Thursday September 26, 2024.
A total 202 witnesses have been lined up by Prosecution in the matter.
