Kenyan senator arrested for conspiring to steal $7.6 million of students’ scholarships
A Kenyan senator was on Wednesday arrested for allegedly conspiring to steal $7.6 million in scholarship funds for the country’s students in Finland and Canada.
The senator was arrested alongside two former county officials linked to the scholarship scandal.
The suspects were dragged before the Kenyan High Court to face 11 count charges but granted bail.
The embattled senator had previously denied misappropriating the money.
On Thursday, a magistrate ruled the trial could not begin until all the suspects were presented in court.
The Kenyan police had, on Wednesday, tweeted that one of the suspects, Joseph Maritim, had fled.
However, Mr Maritim’s lawyer, Zephania Yego, told the court that his client was unaware of the charges when he travelled to Canada on 13 August.
Mr Yago said his client would return to take a plea.
Kenyan local media report that the prosecution plans to appeal against the release of the senator and his co-accused persons.
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