Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii appeared before the Nakuru High Court on Wednesday to confront his predecessor, Jackson Mandago, in the ongoing Sh1 billion Finland Education Scholarship case.
According to reports, the appearance followed a warrant of arrest issued on Monday against Governor Bii, his former deputy John Barorot, and three other county officials for not showing up to testify.
In a letter dated September 2 to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Nelson Igonga, Governor Bii explained his need to testify last due to his busy schedule at the county office.
He highlighted that his responsibilities included attending crucial Senate committee meetings on national cohesion, equal opportunity, and regional integration.
Governor Bii also pointed out that several county officials had been present in court but were unable to testify because of the lengthy proceedings.
Represented by lawyers Kipkoech Ng’etich and county solicitor Kimeli Bulbul, Governor Bii’s legal team submitted a letter in court requesting that he and other officials be allowed to testify as the final witnesses to wrap up urgent county matters.
They successfully persuaded Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege to suspend the arrest warrant until Wednesday, allowing the governor and other officials to explain their situation in court.
Ng’etich stressed that his clients had not intentionally missed court, emphasizing that they had been attending the trials regularly to stay informed about the proceedings.
The court has also summoned key witnesses, Mercy Tarrus and Dr. Joel Ruto, following a request from the defense team.
The prosecution has lined up at least 202 witnesses, with fewer than 20 having testified since the trial began on July 1, 2024.
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