This archive report was first published on 15 November 2021.
On November 15, 2021, Police in Kenya requested a 14-day detention of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Nick Mwendwa to allow for further investigations into allegations of misappropriation of funds.
Mwendwa, the FKF president, appeared in court on Monday morning, having spent the weekend behind bars following his arrest on Friday evening.
His defense team, led by Tom Ojienda, Erick Mutua, and Mutula Kilonzo Junior, strongly opposed the request, arguing that the state's claim that Mwendwa will interfere with investigations is unfounded.
Former Law Society of Kenya chairman Erick Mutua argued, 'There is an entity appointed by the CS, whether legal or not, which is in place to run the Federation. It is contradictory for the state to now allege that the respondent, who is not in office, cannot access the office and whose docket is under management of a third party, that if he is released will interfere with documents.'
Meanwhile, veteran lawyer John Khaminwa underlined the threat by FIFA to ban Kenya if CS Amina does not rescind her decision to form a caretaker committee to run the Federation. He said, 'FIFA has threatened to ban Kenya. Footballers, coaches, and referees will be rendered jobless if FIFA bans Kenya. For that to happen Nick Mwendwa has to be released by 5pm today. Some people in government are giving our country a bad name.'
