The trouble with Ostarine: Jimmy Wallhead’s
16th March 2018
Features
Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has charged four former government officials and three former Olympic officials with misappropriation of funds designed to support Kenyan athletes at the Rio 2016 Olympics. In a statement posted on Twitter (below), the ODPP outlines that the government set aside Ksh544 million (€4.66 million) for athletes participating at the Games. The seven are accused of misappropriating Ksh55 million (€471,000) of that through:
• Embezzlement of Ksh22,540,800 (€193,000);
• Purchase of tickets that were not utilised totalling Ksh16,872,497 (€144,500);
• Overpayment of allowances totalling Ksh15,907,500 (€136,162);
• Expenses on unauthorised persons of Ksh6,590,286 (€56,400).
DPP's Press Statement on Rio Olympics #TeamKenya #Sports_Prosecution pic.twitter.com/Dy9ILuiHqx
— ODPP_KE (@ODPP_KE) October 13, 2018
The seven that have been charged are:
• Hassan Wario Arero, former Minister of Sports, Culture and the Arts;
• Richard Titus Ekai, former Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts;
• Harun Komen Chebet, former Director of Administration at the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts;
• Stephen Kiptanui Arap Soi, Chef de Mission Rio 2016 and Deputy Treasurer at the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK);
• Patrick Kimathi Nkabu, Former Finance Officer at the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts;
• Hezekiah Kipchoge Keino, former President and Chair of NOCK;
• Francis Kanyili Paul, former Secretary General of NOCK.
The ODPP statement revealed that Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has received a report from athletes in December 2016 alleging mismanagement of funds designed for athletes. It was alleged that official kit was sold to members of the public in Rio; that kit destined for athletes remained at the NOCK offices in Kenya; that unfit accommodation was obtained for the Kenyan team after NOCK failed to secure a flight until after applications to stay in the Olympic Village had closed.
Wonder where the athletes gear went?random people on the streets seen wearing the them @NikeRunning @citizentvkenya pic.twitter.com/2RR491TVBR
— Hon wesley korir (@weskorir) August 28, 2016
Kits were found at NOCK offices..What athletes should have gotten as provided by @Nike over 35 pieces not these few pic.twitter.com/di2SR4fgGI
— Katami Michelle (@MichKatami) August 27, 2016
NOCK Chairperson Keino's daughter in law in a track suit made for Kenyan athletes in Rio #WarioMustGo @Machukah pic.twitter.com/oOBFpL5SOv
— Upekuzi Kenya™ ?? (@Upekuzi_Kenya) August 30, 2016
Unbeliable this is where the rest of kenyan team will spend their night today, after olympic village is closed! pic.twitter.com/h548Ds753g
— Hon wesley korir (@weskorir) August 24, 2016
Such allegations resulted in the detention of three NOCK officials on their return from Rio. Arap Soi and Assistant NOCK Secretary James Chacha were arrested alongside F.K. Paul, reported Reuters.
‘A number of issues were found which needed to be covered in order to strengthen the prosecution case’, read the ODPP statement. As such, the DCI re-submitted its file to the ODPP on 1 October, resulting in the 13 October decision that there is sufficient evidence to charge the seven officials. Kenya won six gold, six silver and one bronze medal at Rio, making it second only to the USA in track events and the leading African nation in the medal table.
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