Former Chef De Mission to the Rio Olympics in 2016 Stephen Arap Soi who is serving 17 years for abuse of office will remain in prison pending the hearing of his appeal.
This follows the dismissal of his application, to be released on bond pending the hearing of his appeal.
Former Chef De Mission to the Rio Olympics in 2016 Stephen Arap Soi who is serving 17 years for abuse of office will remain in prison pending the hearing of his appeal.
This follows the dismissal of his application, to be released on bond pending the hearing of his appeal.
Soi pleaded with the court to release him on bail saying he is sick, suffering from chronic diseases that requires constant medical attention and checkup from his personal doctor.
He said he is an elderly man at 65 years and his health might deteriorate while in prison, yet his appeal has high chances of success.
Anti-Corruption High Court Judge Esther Maina, however said in the ruling that having read the application, Soi had not raised sufficient grounds for the court to allow his application.
The Judge said there were no exceptional circumstances raised in the application and although it has been demonstrated that he is suffering from several ailments, health officers in prison can treat and manage him.
The Judge said his appeal shall be expedited and the record of appeal to be prepared for a faster hearing. “The application for the bond is therefore, dismissed,” the Judge said.
In the appeal, Soi has faulted his jailing saying he never received the money he is accused of misappropriating.
Soi says he was not an AIE (Authority to incur expenditure) holder or the accounting officer appointed by the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) on the mission to Rio in Brazil.
He says for him to incur expenditure, he must have the authority from the Treasury and the funds he is accused of misappropriating never came into his possession.
Soi was found guilty together with former Sports CS Hassan Wario and sentenced to 17 years in jail after he failed to pay a fine of Sh105.6 million. Dr Wario had been sentenced to six years with an option of paying a fine of Sh3.6 million, which he paid and got back his freedom.
He further says he was discriminated against and condemned to pay fines for allowances said to have been overpaid to athletes and sports officials, yet the decision was arrived at by the National Steering Committee, which comprises several individuals.
The former police officer says Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Juma convicted him on a misinterpretation of the law that he was discharging his duties as a police officer yet he was on an assignment given to him by Noc-K, an affiliate of the International Olympic Committee, whose role and functions have nothing to do with the discharge of public duties in Kenya.
