Retired athlete Kiptum, coach Kibet jailed for doping forgery

The two were arrested in 2021 by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and were last month found guilty of being part of an international conspiracy ring, out to tarnish Kenya’s athletics image.

Kiptum and Simbolei had prepared documents purporting that doping was being promoted and encouraged by several state agencies in the country, with the aim of having Kenya suspended from participating at the Olympics.

The offences were said to have been committed on diverse dates between September 16, 2019 and April 18, 2020.

The court however released Simbolei after it ruled he had already served a two-year prison term during the pre-trial detention. The court found Simbolei guilty of only one count of conspiracy to cause injury.

In a judgement rendered by Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku last month, the court ruled that the prosecution had adduced adequate evidence and proved beyond reasonable doubt that Kibet and Kiptum conspired to forge information on doping in athletics with an aim of tarnishing Kenya’s image in athletics world.

The duo had initially arraigned in court alongside John Katio Maluni who passed on through a road accident while the trial was ongoing.

In her ruling, the judge said; “It is important to set records straight, Kenya has never had state sponsored doping. That was the picture two intended to portray to the sports sport.

“The pieces of the puzzle put together during the trials Elias and Paul together with the help from influential and powerful people outside Kenya’s borders attempted to present evidence that the government sponsored doping. The intention being Kenya competes and wins using performance enhancing drugs.”

Kiptum has 14 days to appeal the ruling.