Olympics kits seized in athletics official’s flat
Some of the shoes meant to be used in the Rio 2016 Olympics recovered from Olympics deputy chef de mission Ben Ekumbo's house at Duplex Apartment, along Prof Saitoti Avenue, on November 21, 2016. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Ben Ekumbo, the deputy chef de mission of Team Kenya for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, was arrested afterwards and taken to DCI headquarters for interrogation.
- Police officers recovered boxes containing athletics shoes, tracksuits and bags from Mr Ekumbo’s house at Duplex Apartments, on Professor Saitoti Avenue in Nairobi’s Westlands suburb.
- The officers, led by Mr Munene Mugambi, broke the door and forced their way into Mr Ekumbo’s house after he refused to open for them during the afternoon raid.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday raided the home of a senior sports official and recovered bales of Team Kenya uniforms supplied by Nike.
Mr Ben Ekumbo, the deputy chef de mission of Team Kenya for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, was arrested afterwards and taken to DCI headquarters for interrogation.
Police officers recovered boxes containing athletics shoes, tracksuits and bags from Mr Ekumbo’s house at Duplex Apartments, on Professor Saitoti Avenue in Nairobi’s Westlands suburb.
The officers, led by Mr Munene Mugambi, broke the door and forced their way into Mr Ekumbo’s house after he refused to open for them during the afternoon raid.
“We have arrested Ekumbo, who will be a guest of the State tonight,” said Mr Mugambi.
“We shall interrogate him further at our headquarters before charging him in court tomorrow.”
Police officers said the raid was part of investigations into the Rio Olympics scandal that saw officials embezzle funds meant for use by Team Kenya at the Games held in Brazil in August.
Some of the Team Kenya uniforms supplied by Nike that were recovered from the Nairobi residence of Ben Akumbo, the deputy chief of mission for Rio Olympics, on November 21, 2016 following a raid by officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. PHOTO | AYUMBA AYODI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Mr Ekumbo is also the chairman of Kenya Swimming Federation.
Team Kenya’s chef de mission to the Olympics, Mr Stephen Soi, overall team manager Pius Ochieng and National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Secretary-General Francis Paul, as well as NOC-K treasurer Fridah Shiroya have already been charged in court over mismanagement of Team Kenya in Rio.
The Cabinet secretary for Sports and Culture, Dr Hassan Wario, in September disbanded NOC-K before shifting its operation to Sports Kenya.
HANDED IN REPORT
Dr Wario went on to form a probe committee to investigate the mismanagement of Team Kenya at the Games.
The committee, led by Strathmore University’s Dean of Students, Dr Paul Ochieng, handed in its report three weeks ago. Dr Wario then handed the report to President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is due to release it this week.
Some of the Nike kit found at the Nairobi residence of of Ben Akumbo, the deputy chief of mission for Rio Olympics, on November 21, 2016. PHOTO | AYUMBA AYODI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Despite the hardships the athletes faced, Team Kenya still managed to produce their best ever results at the Olympics, winning six gold medals, six silver and one bronze.
Already, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ordered fresh elections at NOC-K before December 31, 2017 under a new constitution.
The IOC directive followed a meeting of its officials, Dr Wario and NOC-K chairman Kipchoge Keino.
