Former National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) officer Stephen Soi secured a major victory after the High Court overturned a 17-year prison sentence.
Soi was earlier on sentenced by Anti-Corruption Court in connection with the Ksh55 million Rio 2016 Olympics scam.
On Thursday, November 24, Justice Esther Maina of the Anti-corruption High Court reversed the lower court’s decision to convict and sentence Soi, concluding that his appeal was deserved.
Soi, who has been serving a 17-year sentence at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison since September last year after failing to pay Ksh115 million, was ordered freed immediately by the judge.
“The court found merit in the appeal and approved it, annulled the conviction and set aside the penalties, and directed that Soi be set at free forthwith unless otherwise legally detained,” Justice Maina said.
While setting aside the sentence, Justice Maina stated that the trial magistrate did not consider Soi’s defense, and that if his defense had been addressed, the court would have reached a different decision.
The ruling comes after Soi, represented by attorneys Bosek Kimutai and Julius Kitheka, filed an appeal against the trial court’s decision, arguing that he was wrongfully convicted for the Ksh55 million Rio 2016 Olympics fraud and that no monies were stolen.
