adminNAIROBI. – Ousted Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa has been re-arrested.
Mwendwa was arrested yesterday morning, days after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped Sh38 million (about US$320 000) graft charges against him.
Police told the Star that Mwendwa was picked up from his Kiambu Road home and taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for grilling ahead of a planned arraignment at Kiambu court.
In a statement, the Director of Public Prosecutions said that he opted to proffer fresh charges against the ousted FKF boss.
“The case was expected to commence on 5th July 2022 but the prosecution could not proceed with the hearing following discovery of additional evidence availed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations,” the ODPP said.
“The prosecution has since reviewed the additional evidence and applied for sum-mons against president of FKF Nicholas Mwendwa; he is expected to take plea on Monday 11th July 2022.”
Mwendwa was on trial on a charge of conspiracy to defraud the federation of Sh38 million.
His trial, however, failed to take off.
After several adjournments since December last year, the matter was scheduled for hearing on Tuesday.
It again failed to proceed after the state sought another adjournment, saying it had no witnesses.
On Wednesday, the prosecution told the court they were yet to record witness statements before the case was dismissed.
The state withdrew all the charges against Mwendwa after the presiding Magistrate Eunice Nyutu of the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court declined their application for adjournment.
Mwendwa was first arrested on November 12, 2021, and taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters in Nairobi for grilling by detectives amid a then deepening crisis at the FKF.
He was accused of embezzlement of funds wired to the federation by the state.
Three days later, he was arraigned before Milimani senior principal magistrate Wandia Nyamu. The State asked to detain him for 21 days, pending investigations.
The magistrate deferred her ruling on bond application for a day before releasing Mwendwa on Sh4 million bail. – The Star
Online Reporter