Ugandan football agent Niwagira Ronald Mwiine Fred alias Ronnie Santos has been released after a magistrate’s court in Kisumu, Kenya acquitted him of all allegations of trying to fix a Kenyan Premier League. – By John Mutiso.
Ronnie Santos was produced for the second time in Kisumu court to answer charges against him trying to influence a game between Western Stima and KCB which was scheduled for Sunday, January 24.
He was released without any charges by Senior Resident magistrate Winfred Onkunya who presided over the case after prosecution failed to present a case against him.
” I am happy that I have been acquitted without any charges. God is good” Santos sighed with relief.
Prosecutors headed by investigating officer Benedict Kwanza of the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed to court that the complainant, Western Stima chairman, Laban Jobita, had decided to drop the charges.
“I want to tell the court that the complainant has decided not to pursue the matter further. We therefore request for the miscellaneous file to be closed,” Kwanza told the court.
Ronnie Santos had been arraigned before court on Monday last week with DCI set to press charges for fraud, bribery and illegal immigration related charges.Ronnie Santos was denied court bail on grounds that he presented an immigration risk and was remanded to a Kisumu prison until investigations were done.
But even after the extended period for investigations, the charges against Ronnie Santos were not conclusive which prompted Magistrate Onkunya to order for the file to be closed and Ronnie Santos to be released immediately.
Santos has since travelled back to his native country, Uganda and is expected to resume his normal lifewhere he also juggles sports journalism on the state owned UBC West Radio and Star FM.
