National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) secretary general, Francis Kanyili yesterday got reprieve after a court allowed him to temporarily repossess his passport to enable him travel to Burundi and Egypt for Olympics meeting.
Chief magistrate Francis Andayi released Kanyili’s passport after his lawyers told court that he is expected to attend International Olympic Committee (IOC) meetings in Burundi and Cairo Eygpt.
“He is expected to attend the IOC meeting in Burundi for three days beginning March 1 and later head to Cairo, Egypt on March 17,” his lawyer Julius Kitheka said.
Kinyili’s passport was seized by the court last year and he is now expected to return it on March 27.
The NOCK official is facing theft charges alongside team Kenya’s head of Delegation Stephen Arap Soi, team Kenya general manager Pius Ochieng and first vice chairman Olympic Bernard Ekumbo.
They are facing charges over their alleged involvement in the lose of over Sh25 million and kit meant for Team Kenya during the Rio Olympics in Brazil last year.
In court yesterday, Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu said the DPP’s office was still waiting for an inquiry file that is currently with the Director of Criminal Investigations to determine if other ministry officials including sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario will be charged.
“The DPP is yet to receive the other file currently with the DCI. The file is still being prepared by the officers and we will inform court once we receive it,” Ondimu said.
Soi faces four charges of theft of Sh23,980,000 while Ekumbo is accused of conspiring to steal Sh1,050,000 .
Soi is also facing another charge of failing to report conveyance of monetary instruments to authorised officers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Kinyili and Ochieng have denied that they fraudulently appropriated uniforms for athletes donated by Nike Company to be used during the games.