Doctor on doping charges released on Ksh50,000 bail

Former Eldoret’s St. Luke’s Hospital and Trauma Centre medic, Dr. Samson Talei, who is being investigated on charges related to doping was released on a cash bail of Ksh50,000 on Thursday.

Talei, who was arraigned at Nairobi’s Milimani Law Court before Chief Magistrate, Martha Mutuku, for a ruling on his bail application pending charges, was further ordered to report to an investigation officer once every week.

The Uasin Gishu County-based doctor first appeared before a Nairobi court on Monday but was not charged with police requesting he be remanded as investigations against him continue.

Talei was one of the three medics captured in footage obtained undercover by German TV, ARD and British paper, Sunday Times that accused Kenyan and British athletes of using banned blood booster, EPO in a documentary.

The others were clinical officer Ken Kipchumba Limo who still works at St Luke’s and Joseph Mwangi who runs an herbal clinic in Eldoret who are in remand since their arrests on July 7  by the Anti-Narcotics Police Unit officers on similar charges.

The hospital has since distanced itself from the pair saying they should bear individual responsibility for their actions.

Kipchumba and Mwangi are being detained at Nairobi’s Muthaiga and Gigiri Police Stations and their case will be heard on Monday.

Prosecutors are seeking to consolidate the cases of the trio with Italian coach, Claudio Berardelli, who was released on a Ksh200,000 cash bail on Wednesday.