Rio Olympics scandal: Gov't spent Sh588 million on Summer Games
Former National Olympics Committee of Kenya official Stephen Arap Soi and Team Kenya Chief de Mission at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
What you need to know:
- While being led in his evidence by chief state prosecutor Anderson Gikunda, Muthuma said he received approval from the former Sports Principal Secretary Ambassador Richard Ekai to transfer Sh583,540,966 for the Games
- Cross-examined by lawyer Kimutai Bosek, Muthuma said he does not know how Soi stole the Sh25 million
- The prosecution alleges that the duo committed the offences between June 1, 2016 and July 31, 2016, in the Nairobi NOC-K offices at Plaza 2000 building within Nairobi County, jointly with others not before court
The government fully financed the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to the tune of Sh588 million.
Testifying against the Rio 2016 Chief de Mission Stephen Soi, a senior finance officer in the Ministry of Sports has told Milimani chief magistrate Lucas Onyina that the government fully paid Sh583.5 million for the Games.
Stephen Njoroge Muthuma said he was shocked that athletics experienced problems during the Games yet the Kenya government had fully paid for accommodation, accreditation, games service services DRMT (Delegates Registration meetings), air tickets and medical expenses.
While being led in his evidence by chief state prosecutor Anderson Gikunda, Muthuma said he received approval from the former Sports Principal Secretary Ambassador Richard Ekai to transfer Sh583,540,966 for the Games.
Onyina heard that the Sports Ministry had planned to spend Sh499,777,426 on the team and Sh83,683540 on National Olympics Committee-Kenya (NOC-K).
"This budget was approved and brought to my office for implementation. We transferred Sh29,829,000 to the NOC-K account on July 15,2016 as per their request dated June 20,2016 which had been approved by the steering committee for accreditation, accommodation, games services and medical services," Muthuma testified.
He went on to say that on July 31, 2015 the ministry had forwarded Sh4,616,928 for the purpose of booking accommodation at the village where the athletes and officials were to stay.
Muthuma said that he further paid Sh150,792,244 for the allowances of the participants in the Rio Games.
Another finance officer Patrick Kimathi Nkiabu was given Sh22,540,800 for accommodation for additional team officials, entertainment, provision of therapy services, media, public relations, communication, services counselor, excess baggage, purchase of emergency equipment, competition equipment and provision for airtime.
"The Ministry paid for all travelling air tickets for athletics officials and government officials to the tune of Sh154,541,280," Muthuma said.
He added the ministry further paid Sh80,865,491 for the Paralympics.
He was testifying in a case where former Team Kenya Chef-de-Mission for Rio 2016 Olympics, Stephen Arap Soi, former NOC-K Secretary General Francis Kinyili Paul, former vice-president Pius Ochieng are charged with stealing money and Nike sportswear intended for the team at the Rio Olympic Games.
Muthuma told the court he was also scheduled to travel to attended the Games at Rio and was paid USD4,000 in allowances but did not travel because of a lot of work of organising for the team and preparing Paralympics team.
"I did not travel and hence l surrendered the allowance given to me to the cashier Kilonzo James on October 4, 2016. I was issued with a receipt number 3611089 for Sh 406,311," Muthuma told Onyina.
Cross-examined by lawyer Kimutai Bosek, Muthuma said he does not know how Soi stole the Sh25 million.
He added that it is only the accountants at Ministry who can tell.
The three former NOC-K officials have denied the theft charges against them.
In the case, Soi alone faces five charges of stealing USD256,000 (Sh25,907,705.82) from the government, NOC-K and Athletics Kenya.
The prosecution alleges that on July 20, 2016 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi County, Soi willfully refused to report the conveyance of money instruments to authorised officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to wit conveyance of USD234,000 (Sh23,684,944.11) out of Kenya during his exit to Brazil in accordance to the requirements of sub section (1) of the proceeds of crime and Anti-money laundering Act.
He also denied that he stole the amount from the Ministry of Sports,Culture and Arts at the same date and place.
Another charge against him states that on July 20,2016 at NOC-K's offices being an official trustee to the National Olympics Committee-Kenya, he stole USD18,000 (Sh1,822,038.44) which had been entrusted to him by Athletics Kenya for purposes of making payments towards the accommodation of Athletics Kenya officials during the Rio 2016 Games in Brazil.
Soi was further charged with two other counts that he stole USD3000 (Sh303,667.44) and another 1000 (Sh104,000) from the Ministry’s offices at Kencom House, Nairobi on the same date.
Paul and Ochieng were separately charged with pinching Nike kit and omitted to make an inventory of Nike kit uniforms donated by Nike company that was meant to be distributed to Team Kenya athletes who got way short of what they were entitled during Rio 2016 Olympics games.
The prosecution alleges that the duo committed the offences between June 1, 2016 and July 31, 2016, in the Nairobi NOC-K offices at Plaza 2000 building within Nairobi County, jointly with others not before court.
Ekumbo alone faces two counts of conspiracy to steal USD10,500 (Sh1,050,000) jointly with others and theft of assorted 2016 Rio Olympic Games kit for Team Kenya.
The three former NOC-K officials are out on bond terms of Sh1 million or a cash bail of Sh200,000 each.
The hearing will proceed on November 3.
