NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 16- Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario and former National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) Stephen Soi are on Thursday set to be sentenced after they were found guilty of graft-related charges.
The two were convicted of corruption and abuse of office over the Rio 2016 Olympic Games financial scandal.
The court while convicting Wario said that he took advantage of his office and had three other persons travel and be included in the team Kenya. They also had allowances issued to them.
According to the court, this move by Wario resulted in the loss of public funds.
The court said there was a wastage of resources adding that the budget for the games needs to be tailored.
They spent the night at Gigiri Police Station pending their sentencing.
Four others including former Sports PS Richard Ekai, Haron Komen, former director of administration at the Ministry of Sports, Francis Kinyili, and Patrick Kimathi Nkabu were acquitted.
Wario risks up to ten years in jail or a fine not exceeding Sh1 million following his conviction in the 2016 Rio Olympics saga.
He could also be compelled to pay an additional mandatory fine equal to two times the sum he might have accrued from the saga or the amount lost by the taxpayer according to Section 48 of the Act.
Wario was dropped as Kenya’s Ambassador to Austria in May 2019, eight months after he faced abuse of office charges under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Act.
At least Sh88.6 million was reported to have been embezzled following an investigation in November 2016.
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