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Top Kenyan league officials spared six months civil jail

Xinhua, March 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Top Kenyan Premier League (KPL) officials were Friday cleared of contempt of court charges filed against them by Football Kenya Federation (FKF), averting six months in civil jail.

The High Court in Nairobi ruled that there was no evidence that KPL was served with the order barring it from organizing league matches by the federation Feb. 20 when they went to the same court to obtain an injunction.

Justice Roselyn Aburili added that FKF had practiced discrimination on selecting KPL CEO Jack Oguda and Chairman Ambrose Rachier to be committed to six months civil jail while leaving out Kenya Football Referees Association (KEFORA) and Sports Kenya without the service which KPL cannot run.

Justice Aburili also extended the order stopping KPL from running the league to Monday when she will make a ruling on the body's application to have the injunction against them lifted.

The judge was hearing the civil case brought by the federation against the league management company in a courthouse parked by over 100 fans as the country's top flight football remains in limbo for the third weekend.

Other defendants in the contempt case were KPL club chairmen, Elly Kalekwa (Sofapaka), Colonel Mwinyikai Juma (Ulinzi Stars), Allan Kasavuli (AFC Leopards) and Bob Munro (Mathare United) who sit on the KPL Governing Council where they are said to exert huge influence.

Friday's ruling was seen as a blow to the federation that was keen to stamp their authority over their rivals whom they severed links and withdrew their right to run the country's Premier League at a Special General Meeting on January 28.

After intervention by the country's Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Dr. Hassan Wario to have the two resolve their differences failed, FKF went to court after 14 top flights affiliated to KPL refused to sign up to their FKF Premier League and played their first round of fixtures on the weekend of Feb. 21 and 22.

When hearing the case last week, Justice Aburili gave the parties 48 hours to end their stalemate but after the talks failed, she started ruling on four issues pertaining to the case, the first that saw former FKF vice-president, Sammy Sholei and Nairobi delegate who were suspended by the federation enjoined to the suit as interested parties on Monday.

The dismissal of the contempt charges is next with the injunction against KPL and their application against FKF pending. Endite