Suspended Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa has announced his return to the federation, days after corruption charges against him were dropped.
Mwendwa has been out of office since November 2021 when he delegated his duties to FKF vice president Doris Petra, as he faced graft charges.
“Following the withdrawal of charges by the Directorate of Public Prosecution on July 8, 2022, I hereby wish to inform you good office that I have resumed my duties as the FKF president with immediate effect,” Mwendwa said in a letter addressed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
This comes despite the FKF having been disbanded in November 2021 by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, and in its place appointed a caretaker committee led by retired judge Justice Aaron Ringera.
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The FKF Caretaker Committee had been in existence for six months, until May 2022 when the same committee was reappointed to office as a transition committee.
“The mandate of the Transition Committee shall be to: (a) conduct the affairs of Football Kenya Federation in accordance with the Constitution of Football Kenya Federation; (b) ensure that Football Kenya Federation operates within the provisions of the Sports Act, 2013; (c) co-ordinate and ensure the smooth running of Football Kenya Federation operations, including team preparations for local and international sporting events; and (d) co-ordinate and facilitate the validation of the draft Constitution of Football Kenya Federation,” Said Amina in May.
In its report, the Caretaker Committee proposed that the FKF Constitution be amended to conform with the Kenyan Constitution and Sports Act among other issues.
In July, the Anti-Corruption Court sitting in Milimani, Nairobi, threw out a case against Mwendwa.
Milimani Anti-corruption Chief Magistrate Eunice Nyuttu threw out the case, having given the Prosecution the last opportunity to present evidence in the case.
In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate said; “I hereby discharge Mwendwa under section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) for failure by the DPP to avail evidence before this court.”
According to the Daily Nation, Nyuttu put the Director of Public Prosecution on the spot for abusing the court process by arresting and producing Mwendwa in court without any evidence.
According to the charge sheet, between April 16 and May 31, 2021, Mwendwa and others not before court conspired to defraud the Federation Ksh29,502,709. He is further accused that on May 15, 2021, he fraudulently acquired public property worth Ksh2.5 million.
Mwendwa is further accused of fraudulent acquisition of property amounting to Ksh5 million and another Ksh1 million on March 4 and May 6.
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