Reports have emerged that one of Kenya's top athletes who once flew the countries flag high at the peak of his career is now struggling after a lawyer allegedly swindled his millions.
Daniel Kichirchir Komen who was known for dominating the 1500 metres men's race between 2003 and 2011 has nothing to show for his success.
Komen reportedly lost his earnings to someone he once trusted wholeheartedly. The retired athlete made more than Ksh35 million over the years but a lawyer whom he thought was helping him invest in different properties turned out to have had different interests at heart.
The lawyer reportedly asked him to buy a plot worth Ksh12 million. However, when he got the sales agreement, he realised that it was written in the lawyer's name.
Komen stated that he questioned the legality of the documents but the lawyer responded by claiming that the small mistake would be rectified. Later, the land that he bought was reportedly occupied by other people.
The former athlete lamented that the lawyer seemingly subdivided the land and sold it off to the said individuals. Komen narrated that the lawyer pretended that he was purchasing properties in Uasin Gishu County for him.
He added that the lawyer further asked him to transfer different sums amounting to millions to his bank accounts, alleging that was investing for the embattled star.
"My life has been cut short abruptly, I had planned to invest in land and other assets so that I could venture into real estate. I knew that in Kenya if you buy land near a town, it appreciates.
"I decided to take all my money out of my accounts to invest in land assets so that when I retire, I sell the land and do real estate," he explained.
Komen sued the lawyer, but the case dragged on in court for years. The attorney, in his defence, claimed that he started as Komen's lawyer but they later became business partners in the real estate sector.
He claimed that he managed the business since Komen was always out of the country and wondered why the runner was complaining, yet he was familiar with their arrangement.