Hassan Wario, Kipchoge Keino Face Prosecution Over 2016 Rio Olympic Funds

DPP Noordin Haji has ordered for the prosecution of officials who handled funds for the 2016 Rio Olympic games for the Kenyan team, where over Ksh55 million was lost.

Among them include former Sports, Culture and the Arts CS Hassan Wario, ex-Principal Secretary Richard Ekai, former National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) Chairman Kipchoge Keino and Head of Delegation Stephen Soi.

Others are Harun Komen (Former Director of Administration, Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts), Francis Kanyili (Former Secretary General, NOCK), Patrick Kimathi (Former Finance Officer, Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts).

They will face six counts of abuse of office and four counts of willful failure to comply with laws relating to the management of public funds contrary to the Anti-Corruption and Economics Crimes Act, the DPP said in a statement.

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They are said to have purchased air tickets which were not utilized amounting to Ksh16.8 million, incurring expenditure on unauthorized persons amounting to Ksh6.5 million, overpayment of allowances amounting to Ksh15.9  and embezzling funds totaling to Ksh22.4million.

The accused persons have until Monday, 15 October to present themselves to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) failure to which there will be warrants of arrest against them.

Haji has also directed the Asset Recovery Agency to begin recovery of public funds which was used by the suspects in unlawfully facilitating unauthorized individuals with air tickets and allowances to travel to Rio.

The DCI has also been instructed to look into donations made to the NOCK and contracts between NOCK and NIKE and the utilization of monies realized.

Ex NOCK official Soi spent the night at Muthaiga police station in connection to the embezzled Rio Olympics funds.