Shiroya out on Ksh200,000 bail, Soi fails to show in court again

The National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) Treasurer, Fridah Bilha Mulwale Shiroya was on Wednesday released on a cash bail of Ksh200,000 as her colleague and Chef-de-Mission, Stephen arap Soi, failed to show in court for a second time due to illness.

The pair along two other officials, first vice-chairman, Pius Ochieng and secretary general, Francis K Paul are facing charges related to the Rio 2016 fiasco with Shiroya the latest to be arrested on Tuesday night.

Shiroya appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate; Charity Oluoch who directed her to report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on Thursday and twice every week for the next 19 days when her next mention is due after turning down the prosecution’s appeal to detain her for 21 days.

She was also directed to deposit her passport to the court as the prosecution was granted a warrant to search her shop in Nairobi that investigators believe some of the kit alleged to have been pinched from Team Kenya is being stored for sale.

Prosecutor, Duncan Ondimu said that they have credible information that Shiroya has a shop within Nairobi that sells sportswear and they suspect that some of the missing items are there when asking the court for the warrant.

In an affidavit, police constable Joseph Owenga says that a search is yet to be conducted at the offices of the respondent and shop adding that Shiroya is an influential person within the sports fraternity with capacity to interfere with investigations and therefore, there was need for her to remain in custody.

“A team of investigators are conducting investigations in relation to possible offences of theft especially of kit for the Kenyan Team to Rio, abuse of office and neglect of duty and investigations will include other Government Agencies,” Ondimu told the court.

At the same time, Oluoch also declined to issue a warrant of arrest to embattled Chef-de-Mission, Soi after he failed to appear in person for the second day after missing court on Monday alongside Paul and Ochieng who were also released on a Ksh200,000 bail.

Lawyers representing Soi were directed to table a medical report before the court on Thursday afternoon after the State applied for a warrant of arrest against him when they argued that Nairobi Hospital declined to disclose whether or not he was admitted at the facility.

The court will give direction on the matter thereafter.

The Nock officials are in the dock following a probe ordered by President Uhuru Kenyatta following the outcry that greeted reports of mistreatment of Team Kenya athletes before, during and after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where they won six gold, six silver and a bronze.

The country’s best ever showing at the quadrennial sporting showpiece have been marred by the fiasco that has dominated headlines with Soi and his deputy head of mission, James Chacha, being arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon arrival from Brazil on Friday night.

Soi was released on a Ksh50,000 police bond on Sunday on medical grounds where he was reportedly rushed to hospital.

-Matthews Mutai contributed to this report