Rio Olympics pay was legal, court is told
Stephen arap Soi at the Milimani Courts in Nairobi on July 29, 2020.
What you need to know:
- The prosecution accuses Mr Soi of abuse of office. It says he added names in the list of Team Kenya and improperly conferred benefits to the lawyer and athletes Kiprono Kosgey, Nicholas Koech, Hillary Kemboi and Thomas Longosiwa.
- Mr Soi said authorising payment of allowances to eight athletes who never travelled to Brazil was not irregular.
Payments made by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) to eight athletes who did not take part in the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were legitimate, the Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi was told Wednesday.
The court also heard that Nock’s Sh4.7 million budget to facilitate the air travel of journalists was valid since the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation had no capacity to provide media coverage.
The leader of Kenyan team in the Rio games Stephen arap Soi told the court that despite being given the privilege of acquiring the rights of transmission by the International Olympics Committee (IOC), the State broadcaster could not offer the services to Kenyans.
Stephen Soi, Harun Komen Chebet, former Sports PS Richard Ekai and former CS Hassan Wario at a Milimani court on January 22, 2019 over the Rio Olympics.
“KBC lacked financial capacity. IOC then sold the rights to South Africa’s MultiChoice company,” Mr Soi said while defending himself against corruption charges.
He referred the court to the evidence of prosecution witness Michael Bowen, who said Nock facilitated the travel of journalists during the London Marathon.
Mr Soi added that no joyriders flew to Brazil as claimed by investigators in the Sh88 million scandal that rocked the team.
He said the people described by the Director of Public Prosecutions as joyriders include four athletes and NOCK lawyer James Gitau Singh.
The prosecution accuses Mr Soi of abuse of office. It says he added names in the list of Team Kenya and improperly conferred benefits to the lawyer and athletes Kiprono Kosgey, Nicholas Koech, Hillary Kemboi and Thomas Longosiwa.
Mr Soi said authorising payment of allowances to eight athletes who never travelled to Brazil was not irregular.
He said the eight did not travel because some were disqualified by the International Olympics Committee during the registration in Rio in July 21, 2016 while others were alternate athletes.
The athletes had been declared members of Team Kenya, meaning they were entitled to the allowances and air tickets, he said.
Four were disqualified in the final stages of the preparations while the alternate players did not take part in the games.
Mr Soi also denied adding new people to the NOCK steering committee and failing to involve sports federations during the preparation for the Olympics.
Among those who attended the meetings, he said were Jackson Tuwei (Athletics Kenya), Elijah Owmera (Kenya Rugby Union), Nderitu Gikaria (National Sports Council), Fred Muteti (Sports Kenya) and Shadrack Maluki from the Sports Council.
Mr Soi, former Sports CS Hassan Wario and four others are accused of embezzling funds meant for Team Kenya.
