Police Service disowns Team Kenya Chef-de-Mission Soi

Team Kenya Chef-de-Mission to Rio 2016, Stephen arap Soi is no longer an employee of the National Police Service, according to a statement released on Wednesday by its commission as the force distanced itself from the man facing charges of being the main architect of the Olympics debacle.

The communication issued by the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) states Soi was among 59 officers who had initially been dismissed by the former Police Commissioner in 2004 before they moved to court to challenge their removal and where it ruled in their favour and they were reinstated.

“After the matter was arraigned in court, the commission in compliance with the court order reinstated the 59 officers in 2013,” a section of the statement read.

“To see him back to service, the Commission conducted a vetting exercise on Soi as required by its regulations. However, after the vetting exercise, the Commission found him unsuitable on grounds that he was insincere.

“During Soi’s vetting, they also noted that the officer is temperamental and inconsistent in character, given his conduct in the incident where he assaulted a police constable, which is not in consonance with police discipline,” the damning verdict on the long serving National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) official read.

This conduct, according to NPSC, portrays an officer steeped in impunity.

The statement adds that the commission also analysed records in the officer’s file of promotion being stood over which is further evidence of his unbecoming behaviour.

“During his vetting interview, the officer tended to explain his attributing even though his conduct had been unbecoming. His acquiescence to tribalism would be out of keeping with the new dispensation of police reforms.

“The officer’s gross professional misconduct clearly depicts him as a violator of human rights,” the statement said.

After removal by the commission, Soi again moved to court to compel it to review its decision to remove him and his plea was granted.

“In complying with the court order the commission scheduled the officer for a review interview in the month of July 2016. However, the officer through his lawyers wrote to the commission indicating that he was away in Brazil with the Kenyan athletics team until August 29, 2016,” NPSC said.

The statement adds that the commission noted that by the time of his return the officer would have retired upon attaining retirement age.

Soi together with Nock Secretary General, Francis K Paul, deputy Chef-de-Mission, James Chacha, Treasurer Fridah Shiroya and vice-chairman, Pius Ochieng are facing charges of mishandling Kenyan athletes at the just concluded Rio Olympics in Brazil.

Several athletes missed their flight tickets to the games, among them World Javelin champion Julius Yego, while others did not get suitable accommodation services while in Brazil.

The three athletics officials were arrested last Friday night on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and later detained at the Muthaiga Police station.

“The issue on Rio is in court, but whatever is in the statement from the NPSC is true, accurate and authentic,” said Commission chairman, Johnson Kavuludi who declined to comment more on the issue.

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olympics team kenya Chef-de-Mission Rio 2016 Stephen arap Soi

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