BY SPORT CORRESPONDENT.
Deputy Chef-de-Mission for Rio 2016 Olympics, Ben Ekumbo will have refunded 1 million which he stole from the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture.
Mr Ekumbo deposited two cheque to Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) at AG chambers today.
He was charged with stealing $10,500 (Sh1,050,000) and sports kits has been released on bond after staying in custody for two weeks.
Bernard Kabura Ekumbo, who was the deputy chief of mission for Team Kenya at the Rio Olympics, was on Tuesday ordered to execute personal bond of Sh200, 000 cash bail or deposit in court a Sh1 million security.
Senior Principal Magistrate Charity Oluoch allowed the bail application renewed by lawyer Cliff Ombeta, who said Mr Ekumbo is not a “flight risk.”
“ I am willing to refund $10,500, the money paid to my account without my knowledge,” Ekumbo told the court last week.
He said the money was deposited to his account when he was in Rio de Janeiro attending the Olympic Games in August where he was Team Kenya’s deputy chef de mission.
“Upon return from the Games, Mr Ekumbo noticed that the money had been deposited into his account and was willing to refund it,” his lawyer Stephen Muhia said.
He detained for three days pending investigations, a Nairobi court has ordered.
He was produced in court Tuesday morning after spending the night cold, when police applied to detain him for seven days pending the conclusion of investigations.
State Prosecutor Eddie Kadebe said the police want to conduct thorough investigations into the case as the kits scandal had tainted Kenya’s image.
He said President Uhuru Kenyatta had called for investigations to establish who messed up with Team Kenya’s preparations and caused the loss of money intended for the games.
Mr Ekumbo opposed the application, saying he is diabetic and was also preparing the country’s swimming team for an international championship.
Ekumbo was arrested by detectives at his apartment in Westlands, Nairobi on Monday. Boxes containing shoes track suits and bags were recovered.
The officers were armed with a search warrant when they arrived at the house.
Police said the raid was part of the investigations into the Rio games scandal.
Ekumbo was questioned in his house during the afternoon operation as officers loaded the kits, including running and swimming gear, into their vehicle.
In September, a Team Kenya athletics official was linked with the disappearance of assorted kits meant to be used by the country’s Olympic team in Rio.
Kithinji Maragara was arraigned before senior principal magistrate Charity Oluoch and was charged with theft.
He was accused of stealing an assortment of kits on July 29 within Nairobi County.
Ekumbo deputized Head of Mission Stephen Soi at the Rio Olympic Games in Brazil that were shrouded in controversy.
