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KENYA: ARTUR BROTHERS WERE DRUG TRAFFICKERS WHO ENJOYED STATE SECURITY - REPORT
Patrick Nzioka
The Nation, Kenya
Sept 28 2007
The infamous Artur brothers were con men and drug traffickers who
enjoyed high-level State protection.
Their presence in the country was part of a conspiracy to commit
atrocities, investigations into their stay in Kenya reveal.
Special adviser to President Mwai Kibaki based at State House Stanley
Murage, Ms Mary Wambui and her daughter Winnie Wangui Mwai were
some of their close associates, a situation which led to the two
parliamentary committees that investigated the saga to conclude the
Armenian brothers had direct high-level protection in the Government.
Internal Security minister John Michuki, head of the civil service
Francis Muthaura, former CID director Joseph Kamau and businessmen
Raju Sanghani and Kamlesh Pattni were fingered as having played a
critical role in their stay in the country.
Artur Sargasyan and Artur Margaryan - branded as mercenaries by
Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga - were found to have engaged in illegalities
with the full knowledge of the law enforcement agencies.
Some of their malpractices included irregularities in their business in
Kenya. They are found to have registered their companies - Kensingston
Holdings Ltd and Brotherlink International - irregularly.
They used the companies to import goods without paying duty.
They also used Government vehicles and had even been appointed to
the police force as deputy police commissioners.
"The illegalities lead to only one conclusion; the Artur brothers
were enjoying State protection at the highest levels of Government,"
the report tabled yesterday in Parliament by nominated MP Kipkalya
Kones on behalf of the investigating committees says.
The investigations on the Arturs were undertaken by a joint team
composed of members of the departmental committees on administration,
national security and local authorities and administration of justice
and legal affairs.
The joint committees lament that evidence adduced on the matter was
manipulated to conceal the true intention of their presence in Kenya
as well as to protect their sponsors.
The committee says the deportation of the Arturs after they drew guns
at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was stage managed to avert
further atrocities.
The report delves into the raid at the Standard Group, saying
the management disputed Internal Security minister John Michuki's
assertions the media house was about to publish damning stories about
State House.
"The Artur brothers clearly demonstrated that they had political
connections. A case in point is the instigated and orchestrated raid
on the Standard Group which minister John Michuki termed as Government
operation," the report says in part.
The investigations established there was a lot of administrative lapses
as well as cover-ups to assist the two and their suspect operations
in Kenya. They cite the lapse at JKIA, use of Government vehicles and
the role of the police department who they say aided and sometimes
abated the brothers' criminal activities.
The committees point out they did not get to the bottom of the saga
following hurdles placed on their way by those who were bent on
protecting the brothers.
They cite failure to honour summons served on senior police officers
Isaiah Osugo (PCIO, Nairobi), David Kimaiyo (director of operations)
and Patrick Lumumba (OCPD, Gigiri) as the most serious attempt to
scuttle the investigations.
Others include an attempt by Justice minister Martha Karua to stop the
investigations when the Kiruki Commission on the same was appointed.
They take issue with the rejection of the committee's attempt to
introduce a motion in Parliament to take evidence in public, a
situation they attribute to Ms Karua by virtue of her position as
the deputy leader of Government Business in Parliament.
The appointment of the Kiruki Commission, whose report is yet to be
made public, as well as failure to avail the same to them was part
of the cover-up as it was never intended to unearth the truth.
The committees wants Parliament adopt the report and call upon the
attorney general Amos Wako to prosecute the three senior police
officers and any other individual who disobeyed summons to appear
before them.
The committee wants further investigations into the saga.
Patrick Nzioka
The Nation, Kenya
Sept 28 2007
The infamous Artur brothers were con men and drug traffickers who
enjoyed high-level State protection.
Their presence in the country was part of a conspiracy to commit
atrocities, investigations into their stay in Kenya reveal.
Special adviser to President Mwai Kibaki based at State House Stanley
Murage, Ms Mary Wambui and her daughter Winnie Wangui Mwai were
some of their close associates, a situation which led to the two
parliamentary committees that investigated the saga to conclude the
Armenian brothers had direct high-level protection in the Government.
Internal Security minister John Michuki, head of the civil service
Francis Muthaura, former CID director Joseph Kamau and businessmen
Raju Sanghani and Kamlesh Pattni were fingered as having played a
critical role in their stay in the country.
Artur Sargasyan and Artur Margaryan - branded as mercenaries by
Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga - were found to have engaged in illegalities
with the full knowledge of the law enforcement agencies.
Some of their malpractices included irregularities in their business in
Kenya. They are found to have registered their companies - Kensingston
Holdings Ltd and Brotherlink International - irregularly.
They used the companies to import goods without paying duty.
They also used Government vehicles and had even been appointed to
the police force as deputy police commissioners.
"The illegalities lead to only one conclusion; the Artur brothers
were enjoying State protection at the highest levels of Government,"
the report tabled yesterday in Parliament by nominated MP Kipkalya
Kones on behalf of the investigating committees says.
The investigations on the Arturs were undertaken by a joint team
composed of members of the departmental committees on administration,
national security and local authorities and administration of justice
and legal affairs.
The joint committees lament that evidence adduced on the matter was
manipulated to conceal the true intention of their presence in Kenya
as well as to protect their sponsors.
The committee says the deportation of the Arturs after they drew guns
at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was stage managed to avert
further atrocities.
The report delves into the raid at the Standard Group, saying
the management disputed Internal Security minister John Michuki's
assertions the media house was about to publish damning stories about
State House.
"The Artur brothers clearly demonstrated that they had political
connections. A case in point is the instigated and orchestrated raid
on the Standard Group which minister John Michuki termed as Government
operation," the report says in part.
The investigations established there was a lot of administrative lapses
as well as cover-ups to assist the two and their suspect operations
in Kenya. They cite the lapse at JKIA, use of Government vehicles and
the role of the police department who they say aided and sometimes
abated the brothers' criminal activities.
The committees point out they did not get to the bottom of the saga
following hurdles placed on their way by those who were bent on
protecting the brothers.
They cite failure to honour summons served on senior police officers
Isaiah Osugo (PCIO, Nairobi), David Kimaiyo (director of operations)
and Patrick Lumumba (OCPD, Gigiri) as the most serious attempt to
scuttle the investigations.
Others include an attempt by Justice minister Martha Karua to stop the
investigations when the Kiruki Commission on the same was appointed.
They take issue with the rejection of the committee's attempt to
introduce a motion in Parliament to take evidence in public, a
situation they attribute to Ms Karua by virtue of her position as
the deputy leader of Government Business in Parliament.
The appointment of the Kiruki Commission, whose report is yet to be
made public, as well as failure to avail the same to them was part
of the cover-up as it was never intended to unearth the truth.
The committees wants Parliament adopt the report and call upon the
attorney general Amos Wako to prosecute the three senior police
officers and any other individual who disobeyed summons to appear
before them.
The committee wants further investigations into the saga.