DRAGNET WIDENS: Two more NOC-K officials grilled as Soi and FK set to be charged today

Chairman National Olympic Committee of Kenya FK Paul during a press conferene by Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture who announced the Disbanding of the body on Thursday, August 25, 2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Two more officials of the National Olympics Committee of Kenya were grilled yesterday as police prepared to charge others with stealing uniforms.

Pius Ochieng General Team Manager (Nock Vice chairman) and Resham Bains of the steering committee were summoned to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations yesterday to answer questions of the missing uniforms and allowances that athletes say they did not receive.

This came as one of the three NOCK officials, who had been arrested on Friday, James Chacha was released from police custody.

Stephen Soi, the head of Team Kenya to the Rio Olympics was in custody since Friday, but was released on medical grounds yesterday.

FK Paul, who is the Nock Secretary General spent his third night in police custody yesterday.

“Chacha has explained his role in the whole saga and evidence leads us towards Paul and Soi. They are likely to take plea depending on other factors,” said an official aware of the probe.

Ochieng and Bains recorded their statements at DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road as the probe goes on.

Ochieng remained in custody after quizzing while Bains was released.

Sports Principal Secretary Richard Ekai was also grilled on Saturday.

DCI Ndegwa Muhoro said they are investigating the issue of missing uniforms and allowances due to athletes who participated at Rio Olympics.

Chacha is said to have told the investigators roles were divided in preparation for the Rio Olympics.

For instance, he said, ticketing was left to Anne Njambi and himself, uniforms to Ochieng’ and FK Paul, local allowances was the Nock Treasurer Fridah Shiroya, and Doctor Julius Ogeto handled medical issues. This was all being supervised by the steering committee.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario disbanded Nock over the complaints of mistreatment of athletes.

There were claims that more than 200 joyriders travelled to Rio de Janeiro for the just concluded Olympics thus affecting resources meant for the athletes, their coaches and managers.

Some coaches were not accredited and had no access to the training facilities where their services were needed according to athletes.

The team pursuing the matter will also interrogate a number of athletes as part of their probe.

Despite the fiasco, the athletes performed well getting six gold, six silver and one bronze and finished position 15 and first in Africa.

Kenya was officially represented by 52 athletes, three boxers, 14 rugby players, one archery player, two swimmers, one weightlifter and one judoka and 30 members of the technical team.

Others included 14 members of the Steering Committee, 14 from NOCK, seven administrative staff and two officials from Treasury, making the total figure 178.

But the list was bloated, and is said to have included relatives and friends, the total number  hitting 250.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga have demanded answers on how the Olympics campaign was handled.

Some of those who were in Rio are said to have sent messages to Kenya politicians complaining of poor management.

When Ruto arrived in Rio, the athletes told him they were issued with one kit for training and another for competing despite the team’s official sponsors providing adequate kit.

The athletes claimed their kit was stolen by Nock officials. Ruto is also said to have met Nike representatives while in Rio and they told him they supplied 1,900 kits to NOCK ahead of the games.