Ex-NOC-K official Soi's graft appeal case moved
Stephen arap Soi at the Milimani Courts in Nairobi on September 15, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The court directed Wario to pay a fine of Sh1.2 million or serve a one-year sentence in prison
- Soi was directed to pay a fine of Sh117 million or face a jail term of 17 years on the offences of abuse of office and willful failure to comply with public procurement guidelines and laws.
- However, Wario paid the fine, while Soi was taken to prison after he failed to raise the amount.
Rio 2016 Chief de mission Stephen Soi's appeal case was adjourned to December 15 after the trial judge Monday said she does not have the lower courts records.
Justice Esther Maina said she is handicapped to follow the appeal proceedings in which Soi is challenging a 17-year jail term for loss of public funds during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Through lawyer Bosek Kimutai, Soi wants the High Court to quash the conviction and set aside the 17 year jail term imposed on him by the corruption court two months ago.
The judge allowed Bosek to file a supplementary record within three days to enable her determine the appeal and bail application.
Soi argued that the millions of shillings he is accused of receiving were paid to other officers at National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) when he was in already in Brazil.
"Soi was not in the country from July 20 to August 26, 2016 and there is alot of evidence accusing him of authorising payments during that period. That is the time he was in Rio," said lawyer Bosek.
"All this money Soi is alleged to have authorized did not come to his possession at any given point," Bosek added.
He asked Justice Maina to refer to payment vouchers which the lower court relied on to hand down the "harsh custodial term against his client".
It is at this juncture that the judge said that the file before her had only the notice of appeal and certificate of urgency and no other record.
"All l have is a certificate of urgency and notice of appeal. The judgement by lower court, the charge sheet and other documents including vouchers are not here in this file," said justice Maina.
The appeal was being heard virtually before it was adjourned with Soi following the proceedings from Industrial Area Prison Remand.
Soi was sentenced alongside former Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario by Anti-Corruption Court magistrate Elizabeth Juma over the loss of public funds during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The court directed Wario to pay a fine of Sh1.2 million or serve a one-year sentence in prison
Soi was directed to pay a fine of Sh117 million or face a jail term of 17 years on the offences of abuse of office and willful failure to comply with public procurement guidelines and laws.
However, Wario paid the fine, while Soi was taken to prison after he failed to raise the amount.
