siting in Nairobi on Friday ruled that have a case to answer.
Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Juma of the Nairobi-based Anti-Corruption court yesterday ruled that former Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario and other sports officials charged in Sh55 million Rio Olympics scandal stating that she was satisfied that prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused persons.
“After evaluation of the evidence adduced by 28 prosecution witnesses I am satisfied that a prima facie case has been established against the accused person herein. I therefore put them on their defence,” ruled the magistrate.
In October 2018, Wario and former sports officials namely Haron Komen Chebet, who served as Director of Administration and Patrick Kimithi Nkabu, Richard Tirus Ekai, Stephen Kiptanui Soi and Francis Kanyili Paul were charged and denied several graft charges leveled against them.
The charges against Wario state that on March 30, 2016 and August 18, 2016 at the sports ministry, Wario being CS of the said ministry used his office to improperly confer a benefit of Sh 1,506,391 to James Gitau Singh by including him into the games.
He was also accused of improperly facilitating six individuals’ travel expenses to Rio Olympics, causing loss of public funds worth Sh 5,846,346.
The former CS is further alleged to have improperly confer a benefit of over Sh1.5 million to Adan Omar by including him into the RIO 2016 Olympic Games Kenyan delegation team to travel to Brazil an act that resulted to loss of public funds.
The Komen and Chebet were charged with the offense of willful failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to management of public funds.
All former sports officials have been implicated in the misappropriation of over Sh 55 million that were set aside for the Rio Olympic Game.
Others are Richard Bura and Monica Sairo, who allegedly got Sh 918,391.
Eunice Kerich and Samuel Njuguna are said to have taken home Sh 498,391 each.
