I had nothing to do with Rio fiasco, Admin boss Komen avers

Haron Komen the Director of Administration for Sports has reports associating him with the Rio 2016 Olympics fiasco as untrue and malicious.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Keriako Tobiko has recommended the prosecution of Koech alongside his bosses at the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Hassan Wario and Principal Secretary Dr. Richard Ekai over the scandal.

Speaking to Citizen Digital at the Ministry headquarters in Nairobi, Komen confirmed he is yet to be contacted by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID) after Tobiko wrote to its boss Ndegwa Muhoro seeking his prosecution.

Dr. Wario and Dr. Ekai were not in their offices when the crew from Royal Media Services journalists arrived on Tuesday seeking their reaction to the bombshell developments of the night before.

“The first person who should know anything to do with prosecution is the respondent. Amazingly, I have read from one of the local newspapers today (Wednesday) that the DPP has directed I be prosecuted.

“It hurts because even the Probe Committee that was appointed by the CS on the same never invited me to their meetings and yet, I was available every time organizing this and that for them.

“I have faith in the CID are investigating the matter and no one should interfere in any way whatsoever that could alter the outcome. Such reports could be aimed at influencing the whole process,” Komen charged.

An emotional Komen said the report is injurious to his reputation, considering his role in the Rio Olympics having joined the Ministry barely a month before the Summer Games that ran from August 5 to 22 in Brazil.

“I’m really disturbed by this report, knowing the sacrifices I made preparing our team within the short period I served. The CS and the PS had left early for Rio bearing in mind Kenya was facing serious challenges in the wake of doping allegations among other things.

“My responsibility was to see to it our teams travelled to Rio and their allowances were paid which I did diligently. I worked sometimes even at night to ensure everything went well and therefore, it disheartens when someone maliciously suggests I’m not faithful in dispensation of my duties,” the former official in the Interior Ministry stated in his defence.

Komen says he is ready to defend himself in a court of law if he is indeed prosecuted as well as recording a statement with CID sleuths investigating the case.

The DPP is seeking prosecution of Wario and other top officials in the ministry over charges related from abuse of office and negligence related to the scandal that marred Kenya’s best ever medal return from the Olympics.

The State has levelled charges against four senior National Olympics Committee of Kenya (Nock) officials over the scam that saw hundreds of millions and kit belonging to Team Kenya misappropriated or stolen.

Team Kenya Head of Mission Stephen arap Soi and his Nock Executive Committee counterparts- First Vice-president, Ben Ekumbo, Second Vice-president, Pius Ochieng and Secretary General, Francis Kinyili Paul are out on Ksh200,000 bail each after being charged with various counts of abuse of office, misappropriation of funds and theft of kit.

Tags:

olympics Keriako Tobiko DPP rio fiasco Rio 2016 CID Dr. Hassan Wario Dr. Richard Ekai Director of Administration Haron Koech

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