Nock boss Ekumbo to spend three days behind bars

National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) First Vice-Chairman will spend the next three days in custody after a Nairobi court denied his plea to be released on bail on Tuesday.

Milimani Law Courts Magistrate Teresah Nyangena agreed with the prosecution that Ekumbo should be detained to allow investigations after the Kenya Swimming Federation (KSF) boss and Deputy Head of Mission to Rio 2016 Olympics was arrested on Monday at his apartment in the Kenyan capital.

The State Prosecution led by attorney Eddy Kadebe had earlier requested that Ekumbo be detained for a week but after consideration that the official is diabetic the court reduced the period to three days.

The court will rule on Friday on the way forward after the magistrate considered the prosecution’s application for his detention on the ground that the matter is of national interest.

The prosecution is expected to have filed the charges against him by Friday, when the defense will respond.

Ekumbo was arrested in dramatic fashion at his apartment in the Westlands area of Nairobi where he was fished out from under his bed when officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations broke down his front door when he refused to open up.

During the operation, cartons of kit meant for athletes from American sponsors Nike including shoes, track suits and swimming gear dating from the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi to Rio 2016 Olympics as well as boxes of medals were seized.

Ekumbo is the fifth Nock official to be arrested following the Rio 2016 scandal where millions of shillings and kit meant for Team Kenya athletes were embezzled or stolen.

Head of Mission Stephen arap Soi, Nock Secretary General Francis Kinyili Paul and Nock second vice-chairman, Pius Ochieng are out on bail while Treasurer Fridah Shiroya was released and is now a State witness after being apprehended.