Wario, Kipchoge Keino Ordered To Surrender To DCI On Thursday

15th October 2018

Three suspects who showed up in Anti-Corruption court, Ekai, Paul and Soi released on KSh1m cash bail or KSh2m bond over the Rio 2016 Olympics scandal

L to R: NOCK Secretary General, F K Paul, Rio 2016 Team Kenya Chef de Mission, Stephen Kiptanui arap Soi and Kenya Ambassador to Russia, Richard Ekai, when they appeared before the Anti Corruption court on Monday, October 15, 2018 to answer charges related to the Rio 2016 scandal. PHOTO/Courtesy
L to R: NOCK Secretary General, F K Paul, Rio 2016 Team Kenya Chef de Mission, Stephen Kiptanui arap Soi and Kenya Ambassador to Russia, Richard Ekai, when they appeared before the Anti Corruption court on Monday, October 15, 2018 to answer charges related to the Rio 2016 scandal. PHOTO/Courtesy
SUMMARY
  • Wario and Kipchoge, the former National Olympics Committee-Kenya (NOCK) president, are charged alongside five other suspects with abuse of office and misappropriating public funds
  • Prosecution had applied to the court issue warrants of arrest against the retired two-time Olympics champion Keino and former Minister Wario who is now Kenya’s ambassador to Austria
  • Besides misappropriation of funds, Kipchoge, Wario and Paul are accused of including their kin in the Team Kenya delegation for Rio 2016 at public expense

NAIROBI, Kenya- The Anti-Corruption court in Nairobi has ordered retired Kenyan distance running great, Dr Kipchoge Keino and former Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Dr Hassan Wario to surrender to police over the Rio 2016 Olympic Games fiasco on Thursday.

Wario and Kipchoge, the former National Olympics Committee-Kenya (NOCK) president, are charged alongside five other suspects with abuse of office and misappropriating public funds related to the scandal and did not appear before Magistrate Douglas Ogoti on Monday.

Three co-accused, former Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Richard Titus Ekai, NOCK Secretary General Francis Kanyiri Paul and Team Kenya Chef de Mission for Rio 2016, Stephen Kiptanui arap Soi appeared before Ogoti to face charges having spent the weekend in custody.

Prosecution had applied to the court issue warrants of arrest against the retired two-time Olympics champion Keino and former Minister Wario who is now Kenya’s ambassador to Austria but Ogoti directed the suspects to present themselves at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi at 6am local time (+3GMT) for processing on Thursday.

“They should also appear in this court on Friday, October 19, 2018 for plea taking,” the magistrate added.

Harun Komen, a former Director and Patrick Kimithi, finance official at the Sports Ministry were the other suspects who did not appear at the Corruption Court on Monday.

Abuse of office

Ekai, who is was appointed the country’s envoy to Russia, Paul and Soi, who was voted out as an Executive Officer along Kipchoge during the NOCK elections in September 2017, were released on cash bail of KSh1m (USD10000) of a bond of KSh2m (USD20,000) each and ordered to deposit their passports with the court.

Ogoti ordered the DCI to verify the sureties presented by the three accused persons who spent the weekend in custody having surrendered themselves for grilling.

According to the charge sheet the accused face 17 counts related to embezzlement of public money and abuse of office.

Besides misappropriation of funds, Kipchoge, Wario and Paul are accused of including their kin in the Team Kenya delegation for Rio 2016 at public expense.

Adan Omar Edow (Wario), Ian Keino (Kipchoge) and Vincent Kinyili (Paul) travelled to Brazil leading to loss of public funds in what amounts to abuse of office.

Kipchoge and Paul are charged jointly with authorising the payment in excess of KShs 15,907,500 (USD157, 531.19) as allowances to the members of the Kenyan Team to the Rio 2016 Olympics Games.

 -Story developing