Tweet
HE IS MY SWEETHEART: WANGUI SPEAKS OF HER LOVE FOR ARTUR MARGARYAN, PLANNED FAIRY TALE WEDDING AND DECLARES...
By Mwangi Maina
Kenya Times, Kenya
April 5 2007
THE daughter of renowned Narc activist, Mary Wambui yesterday broke
her long silence over her association with the two deported Armenian
brothers and disclosed that she would soon be wedding one of them.
Winnie Wangui, who also said she was a business associate of the two
Armenian brothers, Artur Sargasyan and Artur Margaryan now wants the
government to clear the duo of any wrong-doing in order to enable
her marry her sweetheart, Artur Margaryan.
And Winnie, who has maintained a lengthy silence over the controversial
Armenians, once described by Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga as mercenaries,
believes her wedding with Margaryan would be the biggest ever in
the country.
"It is going to be a grand wedding that would set a precedent.
Everything is in top gear," said Winnie, who has long been associated
with a prominent political family in the country.
During her heydays as a senior Under Secretary in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Winnie was one of the officers described as
untouchable and whose word would influence proceedings in the corridors
of power.
Speaking on a local radio talk-show, Wangui said she has been in close
contact with Margaryan since his deportation, adding that they have
been meeting in undisclosed locations.
She defended the alleged Armenian brothers against accusations of
involvement in criminal activities in the country, saying they were
honest businessmen with whom she had business contacts through her
Kensington company, and who were wrongfully hounded out of the country.
Asked about her relationship with President Mwai Kibaki and whether
he would attend the intended wedding, Wangui declined to comment
but instead sought to absolve the brothers from any wrong doing and
maintained that Margaryan was her boyfriend and that she knew him as
an honest and kind hearted man since meeting him in Dubai in early
2005 after being introduced to him and his brother by a family friend.
Winnie, speaking with nostalgia about her romantic escapades with
Margaryan whom she has been frequently meeting , implored on the
government to "accept the truth and reality that the Armenian duo
were not criminals and allow them back in the country."
She, however, refused to name the and place and dates of her meetings
with her lover and instead replied; "What I can tell you is that I
will have my name changed to Winnie Margaryan after the wedding."
But denied that she was expecting Margaryan's baby, but added that
she was looking forward to the wedding and eventually spending her
life with him here in Kenya.
"There have been speculations that I am expectant. Those are pure
lies. The truth is that I have always desired to have children with
Margaryan. Not only is he a handsome and generous man, but is so caring
and romantic. I believe he will make a wonderful husband," said Winnie.
Wangui, who was under probe by the Kiruki Commission appointed by
the President last year to look into the Armenian brothers's saga
said her efforts to have them represented by lawyer Oscar Avedi were
thwarted when the commission turned him away.
She described the period of the probe as one of the most trying moment
in her life her as friends deserted her and some even called her names
because of her association with the duo said to have been behind the
Standard Group raid and other high profile crimes during their stay
into he country.
'But I have never known them to be criminals. These were honest and
shrewd business people. That is why I even attempted to stop their
deportation through a lawyer," Winnie said
The two burst into the national limelight in March last year after
Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga accused them of being "mercenaries" used by
the government to provide muscle for a raid on the Standard Group
offices within the City centre, an act widely condemned around
the world.
Margaryan and Sargasyan, whose real names are yet to be established,
are believed to have been members of an elite unit within the Czech
Army unit before being discharged disgracefully.
The brothers denied the claims, saying they were respectable
businessmen wanting to invest in Kenya but they became virtual
celebrities in following months, being seldom out of cartoons and
gossip columns, and leading a swaggering life-style that included
parties, luxury cars, flashy jewellery and trademark sunglasses.
The saga took a fresh twist with their dramatic deportation in early
June last year after a scuffle at the Jomo Kenyatta International
airport where they were said to have brandished guns at custom
officials.
The fracas and their subsequent deportation led to the suspension of
then CID director Joseph Kamau, Winnie Wangui, Edward Kiptoo Mutai
(Security official, KAA), Paul Latoya , (Protocol officer, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs), James Gitonga (Immigration Officer 1), and Police
officers - Stephen Kipruto Tumbo, Josephat Gikonyo, Daniel Maithya,
Evelyn Owon and James Kimihu - Kenya Airports Police Unit (KAPU).
Police, who raided their posh Runda estate on the same day the brothers
were deported recovered a stash of 500,000 US dollars (approximately
Sh36 million) in their Runda residence.
Consequently, unfolding evidence presented at the Kiruki Commission
proceedings also indicated that the Artur brothers, operating under
Kensington International Company, could have defrauded the government
of Sh116 million in unpaid duty for several containers packed with
electronic goods they had imported through the port of Mombasa.
Emerging details further indicated that the Armenian brothers were
carrying a paltry 100 US dollars in their pockets at the time of their
deportation though the subsequent search of their residence by police
revealed they had 500,000 US dollars stashed away.
Evidence collected by police further pointed to the possible
involvement of the Armenian duo in the KTN/ Standard raid, with
balacavas, jackets of the elite Quick Response Team (QRT). A map of
the I&M building which houses the raided media house was also found
in their palatial house.
In constituting the Kiruki commission, President Kibaki categorically
denied any involvement of the first family in the saga or relations
with Wangui or her mother.
He said: "No member of my family has had any dealings with the
said foreigners...I am, therefore, demanding that the newspaper
should apologize to me and my family for the blatant lies." Two
lesser-known brothers were also deported. "The matter of their stay
and transactions in Kenya is the subject of investigations," Kibaki
added. Fuelling concern at what they were doing, police said guns,
machetes and bulletproof vests were recovered at the Armenians' home.
To date, the government has remained mum on the recommendations by
the Kiruki Commission.
Winnie's latest revelations is likely to create a new dimension to
the Artur brothers saga whose presence in the country caused anxiety,
tension and dismissal of some high ranking government personalities.
It was due to their activities in the country that led to the alleged
sour relations between Police Commissioner Major General Hussein
Ali and immediate director of the Criminal Investigations Department
(CID) Joseph Kamau.
Soon after their deportation, it was reported in some quarters that
intelligence sources had warned the government about the Arturs'
activities in the third week of March 2006, a whole three months
before they infamously drew pistols on police and Customs officers
at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, as they made nonsense of
security requirement that entails declaration of, and inspection of
luggage being brought into the country, setting the stage for their
deportation on 11th May 2006.
Intelligence sources quoted by the reports had described Brothers Artur
as "dangerous individuals ready to kill for the sake of money,"... and
continues: "In view of the foregoing, Margaryan and Sargasyan are
international criminals who have excelled in organized criminal
activities. They are knowledgeable in mercenary acts, gun-running
and drug trafficking."
Equally puzzling were revelations that the Armenian duo, knew former
drug baron, the late Ibrahim Akasha and that during their stay in
the country, they frequented certain security quarters where the Sh
6.4 billlion cocaine had been stored before the haul was destroyed.
Our investigations sometimes last year established that the Arturs,
may have been international criminals who had succeeded in infiltrating
influential families, prominent government personalities and senior
security officers.
It was also established that Margaryan was introduced to Narc activist
Mary Wambui in 2005 by "a long time friend of the Armenians" and high
flying city tycoon who reportedly together with Ms Wambui took care
of the Arturs during their stay in the country.
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/05april07/nws story/topstry.html
By Mwangi Maina
Kenya Times, Kenya
April 5 2007
THE daughter of renowned Narc activist, Mary Wambui yesterday broke
her long silence over her association with the two deported Armenian
brothers and disclosed that she would soon be wedding one of them.
Winnie Wangui, who also said she was a business associate of the two
Armenian brothers, Artur Sargasyan and Artur Margaryan now wants the
government to clear the duo of any wrong-doing in order to enable
her marry her sweetheart, Artur Margaryan.
And Winnie, who has maintained a lengthy silence over the controversial
Armenians, once described by Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga as mercenaries,
believes her wedding with Margaryan would be the biggest ever in
the country.
"It is going to be a grand wedding that would set a precedent.
Everything is in top gear," said Winnie, who has long been associated
with a prominent political family in the country.
During her heydays as a senior Under Secretary in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Winnie was one of the officers described as
untouchable and whose word would influence proceedings in the corridors
of power.
Speaking on a local radio talk-show, Wangui said she has been in close
contact with Margaryan since his deportation, adding that they have
been meeting in undisclosed locations.
She defended the alleged Armenian brothers against accusations of
involvement in criminal activities in the country, saying they were
honest businessmen with whom she had business contacts through her
Kensington company, and who were wrongfully hounded out of the country.
Asked about her relationship with President Mwai Kibaki and whether
he would attend the intended wedding, Wangui declined to comment
but instead sought to absolve the brothers from any wrong doing and
maintained that Margaryan was her boyfriend and that she knew him as
an honest and kind hearted man since meeting him in Dubai in early
2005 after being introduced to him and his brother by a family friend.
Winnie, speaking with nostalgia about her romantic escapades with
Margaryan whom she has been frequently meeting , implored on the
government to "accept the truth and reality that the Armenian duo
were not criminals and allow them back in the country."
She, however, refused to name the and place and dates of her meetings
with her lover and instead replied; "What I can tell you is that I
will have my name changed to Winnie Margaryan after the wedding."
But denied that she was expecting Margaryan's baby, but added that
she was looking forward to the wedding and eventually spending her
life with him here in Kenya.
"There have been speculations that I am expectant. Those are pure
lies. The truth is that I have always desired to have children with
Margaryan. Not only is he a handsome and generous man, but is so caring
and romantic. I believe he will make a wonderful husband," said Winnie.
Wangui, who was under probe by the Kiruki Commission appointed by
the President last year to look into the Armenian brothers's saga
said her efforts to have them represented by lawyer Oscar Avedi were
thwarted when the commission turned him away.
She described the period of the probe as one of the most trying moment
in her life her as friends deserted her and some even called her names
because of her association with the duo said to have been behind the
Standard Group raid and other high profile crimes during their stay
into he country.
'But I have never known them to be criminals. These were honest and
shrewd business people. That is why I even attempted to stop their
deportation through a lawyer," Winnie said
The two burst into the national limelight in March last year after
Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga accused them of being "mercenaries" used by
the government to provide muscle for a raid on the Standard Group
offices within the City centre, an act widely condemned around
the world.
Margaryan and Sargasyan, whose real names are yet to be established,
are believed to have been members of an elite unit within the Czech
Army unit before being discharged disgracefully.
The brothers denied the claims, saying they were respectable
businessmen wanting to invest in Kenya but they became virtual
celebrities in following months, being seldom out of cartoons and
gossip columns, and leading a swaggering life-style that included
parties, luxury cars, flashy jewellery and trademark sunglasses.
The saga took a fresh twist with their dramatic deportation in early
June last year after a scuffle at the Jomo Kenyatta International
airport where they were said to have brandished guns at custom
officials.
The fracas and their subsequent deportation led to the suspension of
then CID director Joseph Kamau, Winnie Wangui, Edward Kiptoo Mutai
(Security official, KAA), Paul Latoya , (Protocol officer, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs), James Gitonga (Immigration Officer 1), and Police
officers - Stephen Kipruto Tumbo, Josephat Gikonyo, Daniel Maithya,
Evelyn Owon and James Kimihu - Kenya Airports Police Unit (KAPU).
Police, who raided their posh Runda estate on the same day the brothers
were deported recovered a stash of 500,000 US dollars (approximately
Sh36 million) in their Runda residence.
Consequently, unfolding evidence presented at the Kiruki Commission
proceedings also indicated that the Artur brothers, operating under
Kensington International Company, could have defrauded the government
of Sh116 million in unpaid duty for several containers packed with
electronic goods they had imported through the port of Mombasa.
Emerging details further indicated that the Armenian brothers were
carrying a paltry 100 US dollars in their pockets at the time of their
deportation though the subsequent search of their residence by police
revealed they had 500,000 US dollars stashed away.
Evidence collected by police further pointed to the possible
involvement of the Armenian duo in the KTN/ Standard raid, with
balacavas, jackets of the elite Quick Response Team (QRT). A map of
the I&M building which houses the raided media house was also found
in their palatial house.
In constituting the Kiruki commission, President Kibaki categorically
denied any involvement of the first family in the saga or relations
with Wangui or her mother.
He said: "No member of my family has had any dealings with the
said foreigners...I am, therefore, demanding that the newspaper
should apologize to me and my family for the blatant lies." Two
lesser-known brothers were also deported. "The matter of their stay
and transactions in Kenya is the subject of investigations," Kibaki
added. Fuelling concern at what they were doing, police said guns,
machetes and bulletproof vests were recovered at the Armenians' home.
To date, the government has remained mum on the recommendations by
the Kiruki Commission.
Winnie's latest revelations is likely to create a new dimension to
the Artur brothers saga whose presence in the country caused anxiety,
tension and dismissal of some high ranking government personalities.
It was due to their activities in the country that led to the alleged
sour relations between Police Commissioner Major General Hussein
Ali and immediate director of the Criminal Investigations Department
(CID) Joseph Kamau.
Soon after their deportation, it was reported in some quarters that
intelligence sources had warned the government about the Arturs'
activities in the third week of March 2006, a whole three months
before they infamously drew pistols on police and Customs officers
at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, as they made nonsense of
security requirement that entails declaration of, and inspection of
luggage being brought into the country, setting the stage for their
deportation on 11th May 2006.
Intelligence sources quoted by the reports had described Brothers Artur
as "dangerous individuals ready to kill for the sake of money,"... and
continues: "In view of the foregoing, Margaryan and Sargasyan are
international criminals who have excelled in organized criminal
activities. They are knowledgeable in mercenary acts, gun-running
and drug trafficking."
Equally puzzling were revelations that the Armenian duo, knew former
drug baron, the late Ibrahim Akasha and that during their stay in
the country, they frequented certain security quarters where the Sh
6.4 billlion cocaine had been stored before the haul was destroyed.
Our investigations sometimes last year established that the Arturs,
may have been international criminals who had succeeded in infiltrating
influential families, prominent government personalities and senior
security officers.
It was also established that Margaryan was introduced to Narc activist
Mary Wambui in 2005 by "a long time friend of the Armenians" and high
flying city tycoon who reportedly together with Ms Wambui took care
of the Arturs during their stay in the country.
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/05april07/nws story/topstry.html