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Wario, Keino risk arrest in Rio graft

KIPCHOGE

Athletics legend Kipchoge Keino. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The Anti-Corruption Court has ordered former Sports minister Hassan Wario and athletics legend Kipchoge Keino to appear before it on Friday in relation to embezzlement of funds during the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil or face arrest.

The two on Monday failed to appear in court to answer to charges of abuse of office over the loss of more than Sh55 million meant for the Olympics Games.

“Those who did not take plea today should present themselves before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on Thursday at 6am and brought to court for plea on Friday at 8.30am for a plea,” ruled magistrate Douglas Ogoti. He warned that warrants of their arrests would be issued should they fail to appear in court on Friday.

Mr Wario, who is now Kenyan ambassador to Austria, is expected to be charged with six counts of abuse of office while Mr Keino, a former chairperson of the National Olympics Committee of Kenya, would face one count.

The former minister is accused of improperly conferring a benefit to six individuals by financing their travel to Rio, causing loss of public funds amounting to Sh5,846,346.

Mr Wario allegedly conferred a benefit of Sh1,506,391 each to Adan Omar Enow and James Gitau Singh.

Richard Bura and Monica Sairo were paid Sh918,391 each while Eunice Kerich and Samuel Njuguna Sh498,391 each.

Four-time Olympic gold medalist, Mr Keino, will be charged with allocating his son Ian Kipchoge Keino $24,960 (Sh2.5 million) for air ticket and allowances during the Olympics.

The magistrate also ordered former director of administration Haron Chebet Komen and former finance officer Patrick Kimithi Nkabu in the Sports ministry to present themselves before the DCI as well as take a plea on Friday.

Mr Nkabu is accused of failing to comply with guidelines on the management of public funds that led to misuse of Sh22,540,800 while Komen authorised unlawful payment in excess of $151,500 (Sh15.3 million) as allowances to the members of the Kenyan team.

On Monday, former sports PS Richard Titus Ekai together with ex- NOCK officials Stephen Kiptanui arap Soi and Francis Kinyili Paul were charged with the Rio corruption.