SportPesa calls for jail time for Kenyan regulatory staff
Embattled sports betting firm files papers seeking six-month imprisonment for BCLB officials over injunction violation
SportPesa has filed legal papers calling for the imprisonment of seven senior officials at the Kenyan Betting and Control Board (BCLB), according to local media reports.
According to the Kenyan Star, the seven officials named in the lawsuit include BCLB chairman Cyrus Maina, as well as board members Peter Kanaiya, Sabrina Kanini, Daniel Koech, Joy Masinde, Peter Mbugi and Paul Njaga.
The firm claims the seven have “demonstrated utter disdain for court orders and the judicial process”, violating a Nairobi High Court order requiring the BCLB to temporarily halt all enforcement action against SportPesa holding company Milestone Games.
In November, the court granted SportPesa a “stay of execution” by reinstating its Kenyan sports betting licence and allowing the site to accept players.
However, reports emerged of a raid on the Milestone Games offices in Nairobi last week by the BCLB.
Local witnesses said the authorities seemed ready to confiscate equipment since they arrived with a lorry, yet they couldn’t gain access to the building and were forced to leave empty-handed.
A statement issued by SportPesa accused the BCLB of a “pattern of intimidation and harassment” against Milestone Games Ltd, its management, employees and customers, with the company vowing to take further action against the regulator.
“The action to belittle and disregard court orders at will cannot be taken lightly and should be arrested at the earliest opportunity,” the affidavit filed in court states.
“That the act of the respondent and its board members is of utter utmost contempt of court and demonstrates disrespect to the Honourable Court and the same should not go unpunished,” it adds.
It is understood Milestone Games, which filed the lawsuit, is seeking a six-month jail term for each of the BCLB officials named. In addition, the firm asks that the named individuals be barred from holding public office if found guilty of the charges levied.
Milestone Games is reportedly also set to launch a lawsuit against Kenyan Interior Minister Fred Matiangi, who has led many of the government’s actions against the firm.