NAKURU, Kenya, Jul 24 – Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago has been acquitted alongside two former county officials in the criminal case linked to the controversial Sh1.1 billion Finland and Canada education programme.The ruling was delivered by Nakuru Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege, who acquitted Mandago and his co-accused of the charges brought against them over the overseas scholarship programme.The two county officials acquitted alongside the senator are former County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Education Dr. Victorine Kapkiai and former Chief Officer for Education Samuel Kurgat.The trio had been facing charges arising from the county government’s education programme, under which hundreds of students and parents paid money for university placements in Finland and Canada that later failed to materialise as expected, triggering investigations and court proceedings.The case attracted national attention after parents complained of financial losses and uncertainty over the fate of students enrolled under the programme.The acquittal brings to a close the criminal proceedings against the three accused, although the programme has continued to generate public debate over accountability and compensation for affected families.