Kenya Times, Kenya
March 24 2006

Raila’s evidence on Armenians

He says they’re former members of Elite Czech Army, drug dealers

By Benson Amollo, Edwin Mutai

LANGATA MP Raila Odinga yesterday tabled in Parliament what he termed
new evidence showing that the two alleged Armenians were former
members of the Elite Czech Army turned arms and drug traffickers.

But the MP’s email letter was rejected by the Speaker Francis ole
Kaparo who stated that it was not authentic since it bore no
signature.

Raila contested the matter stating that even the internet was now
accepted in international trade and thus the email should be
admitted.He latter produced a ruling by Justice Slades of the
Commonwealth and handed over to Kaparo admitting that emails,
newspapers should be admitted as authentic documents as evidence.

Raila latter told the Kenya Times that Kaparo will be making a
substantive ruling in next week over the document after perusing it.

However, Raila was challenged by Assistant Minister Bonny Khalwale
(Ikolomani Narc) to table passports copies of the two Armenians
nationalities which he handed over to the police as their is no way
he could have got them since no airport retains copies.

The Government wildly applauded the minister but Kaparo cut short
their celebrations when he wondered how they could applaud the
presence of two suspicious characters.

`Doesn’t the Government know this people?’ asked Kaparo as he
dismissed Raila’s document as non-authentic.

The matter came to the floor of the House as Raila was contributing
to the debate on the President’s speech when he supported Immigration
Minister Gedion Konchella’s first remarks that the two foreigners
were not Armenians but Czech nationals.

The email sent by a clergy Mr Mehmet Ozturk claiming to know the two
– Artur Margaryan and Atur Sargasyan – states that the two are not
related to the Armenian President.

`The names they are using are not original names. It’s sad that I
can’t remember their real names. What I know is that both of them
were members of the Elite Czech Army and they were fired because of
selling government arms illegally,’ read part of the email.

`Thereafter, they moved to Turkey and were involved in a lot of drugs
and arms trafficking where the man claiming to be Margaryan was
caught and jailed. Since then, they disappeared completely only to
emerge in Kenya as heavy businessmen. What I know is they are
criminals who will even kill for money. They are not Armenians as
they claim. May be they are using fake passports, be careful
Kenyans,’ it continued.

And Raila clearly stated that he owes security minister John Michuki
nothing as he is a law abiding citizen. He said he can not fear
threats of his arrest for alleged issuance of statement to the police
over the duo noting that its no crime to report suspected criminals
to the police.