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Kenyan police recommend fraud charges for top football bosses

Police in Kenya have recommended that three top football bosses be charged with conspiracy to defraud, Kenya’s state prosecutor said on Monday. Sam Nyamweya, Michael Esakwa and Samson Cherop of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) are being investigated over alleged fraud involving more than 153,000 euros.

AFP Photo/Nicolas Larche
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Kenyan police “recommend that the suspects be charged with offences of conspiracy to defraud”, according to a statement by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) cited by the AFP news agency.

FKF president Nyamweya, secretary general Esakwa and acting finance manager Cherop were investigated for the federation’s financing of a trip by the national team to Cape Verde, according to reports in the Kenyan media.

The Citizen reported that there had been a standoff between players and the FKF in November over unpaid allowances with some players claiming a refund of the air tickets they purchased for the first leg in the Kenyan capital.

This led to delays in the team’s travel and, once the dispute was eventually resolved, the squad arrived in Cape Verde just hours before the match was due to begin.

The Kenyan team lost 2-0 against Cape Verde and were unable to qualify for the World Cup. Many Kenyan football fans were disgusted by the disorganisation and some called for Nyamweya’s arrest.

Nyamweya was also highlighted in a list of shame compiled by Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya’s Standard reported. The Kenyan press said that Nyamweya had been instructed to step aside by President Uhuru Kenyatta but refused.

If Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions agrees with the recommendations made by Kenyan police, Nyamweya, Esakwa and Cherop will be charged, the Standard said.

In a separate case, an investigation into corruption allegations levelled at Kenya’s national athletics federation, Athletics Kenya (AK), was launched earlier this month by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).

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