Nelson Havi claims Nick Mwendwa was kidnapped

Nelson Havi, the President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) with (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa. /COURTESY

Nelson Havi, the President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has denied that embattled Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa was detained as widely reported in the media.

Havi alleged that Mwendwa was kidnapped by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in a post on his official social media account (DCI).

Havi chastised the DCI for bringing Mwendwa into custody but failing to file any charges against him by Friday, November 26.

Mwendwa was being held at the DCI offices along Kiambu Road for unclear reasons, according to the LSK President, who called on the sleuths' leader George Kinoti to rein in his juniors.

"Nick Mwendwa, the president of the FKF, is not in custody." He has been kidnapped and is being held at the DCI Headquarters without charge. The police are unable to detain someone who has been released by the court due to a lack of charges. George Kinoti's heinous behavior should be condemned, according to his statement.

According to sources familiar with the arrest, Mwendwa was transported to the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road for questioning, but the reason for his detention was not made public.

Mwendwa's arrest, according to the source, was in connection with an ongoing investigation into the FKF's misuse of taxpayer funds and abuse of office.

The arrest came barely one day after the state dropped the charges against him and the court ordered that the Ksh4 million cash bond he had paid be refunded right away.

The Prosecution had been given seven days to file charges against the embattled FKF boss, but when it came up for virtual mention, it requested that the subject be  closed.

The prosecution remarked, "We desire to end the file as we proceed with our investigations at our own pace before we pursue charges against him."

Senior Resident Magistrate Wandia Nyamu granted the state's request to close the miscellaneous case in light of the new development.

Amina Mohammed, the Sports Cabinet Secretary, also disbanded his team, forming a temporary committee to handle the country's football issues for the next six months.