Court defers cases against four Nock officials to January 31

Cases involving four National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) officials and have been postponed to January 31 by a Nairobi court on Thursday.

This is after State Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu asked the court to give them time to consolidate the cases involving Nock officials- Stephen arap Soi, Pius Ochieng and Francis Kinyili Paul- who were charged earlier with that of Ben Ekumbo who was arraigned in court for the first time last month.

The four are facing accusations of embezzling money and stealing kit belonging to Team Kenya for the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

The case which was heard by Senior Resident Magistrate Hellen Okwani at Milimani Law Courts was postponed after Ondimu asked the court for more time to prepare a consolidated charge sheet since they arise from similar transaction of events revolving around Rio 2016 fiasco.

“Your honour, the two matters were to be consolidated but we are not ready with the documents since the matter is still under investigation.  I’m yet to supply the investigating officers with all the documents hence we would like to request that the matter be moved to end of January,” Ondimu told the court.

The prosecutor added that there are few more suspects who are yet to take pleas so that they can revise the charges against all officials accused of mismanaging funds, stealing kit and mistreating Team Kenya athletes who defied the ordeal to record their best ever performance at the quadrennial games with six gold, five silver and a bronze.

At the hearing, the court also allowed the defense application that explained Ochieng’s absence on the dock during the last hearing on December 6.

Ochieng was present in court in clutches on Thursday after undergoing an operation recently with his defence led by Edward Rombo agreeing with the prosecution to move the case to next year.

The four are out on a cash bail of Ksh 200,000 each.

Soi who was the Chef-de-Mission, Paul and Ochieng were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the Rio Games at the end of August whilst Ekumbo, who is also the Kenya Swimming Federation president was apprehended last month at a dramatic raid in his Nairobi apartment.