INQUIRY COMMISSION YET ANOTHER COVER-UP

Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media. (allafrica.com)
The Nation (Kenya)
Jun 14, 2006

The Commission of Inquiry established to investigate the events
surrounding the Armenian brothers is not just a case of too little,
too late, it is yet another outrageous attempt to impede proper
investigations into criminal activities.

The first step should have been to do what Parliament demanded
yesterday: The sacking of Internal Security minister John Michuki and
Immigration minister Gideon Konchella for failing in their duties,
and in order to facilitate proper investigations.

The first cover-up was in the Government’s decision to deport Artur
Margaryan, Artur Sargasyan and their accomplices even before they had
been investigated and, if necessary, prosecuted over the brazen actions
witnessed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport last Thursday.

This commission is being established when the suspects have already
being given safe passage out of the country, and are obviously out
of reach of Kenyan law.

In any case, it is obvious that those who helped them get out of the
country will not want them back to answer questions, during which the
Arturs might just give evidence that will be terribly embarrassing
to people in authority.

Questions started being asked about the two brothers as early as
March when they were accused of being mercenaries at the service of
prominent people close to Government.

Even when the Artur brothers were strutting around as if they owned
the place, and presumably deeply embarrassing their protectors, the
Government had the temerity to publicly defend them, issuing more
than one statement claiming they were bona fide investors.

It is only after things started unravelling with the actions seen at
the JKIA and the subsequent police raid on their residence that the
Government started worrying.

It started worrying, not about some individuals in the country who were
a real security risk, but that the activities of these people would
be exposed and the identities of their sponsors in Government revealed.

In the first place, an extremely serious security breach was witnessed
at the JKIA when the Artur brothers brandished guns and drove away
with uninspected luggage.

Then when police raided their house, they came across a treasure
trove of items that were obvious candidates for very vigorous
inspection. These included assault rifles with serial numbers close
to those issued to the presidential guard.

Police also found Kenya passports, police appointment cards, and
high-level security clearance passes for all airports.

Free passage out of the country

In addition, there were bags full of motor vehicle registration plates,
some for diplomatic and Government cars, as well as more than a dozen
motor vehicles, some with Government registration, others with no
number plates at all.

Also, there were uniforms and other items resembling those used by
Kenya’s specialised police units.

And what does the Government do when confronted with matters requiring
serious investigations? It gives the prime suspects free passage out
of the country.

Then when it wants to pretend to be doing something, it suspends a host
of junior officials instead of going straight for the senior officials
and wheeler-dealers who might have used their proximity to the seat
of power to sponsor actions extremely prejudicial to national security.

Setting up a Commission of Inquiry now is really closing the stable
doors after the horse has bolted. More seriously, it is an attempt
to scuttle ongoing investigations by a branch of the Police Force
that appears not to have been compromised by an obviously dangerous
parallel security apparatus and criminal network operating with
official sanction.

The inquiry might also be designed to steal the thunder from an
independent investigation planned by Parliament.

The Government has handled this whole matter very suspiciously. This
reflects badly, not just on an amorphous entity called the "The
Government", but more directly on President Kibaki personally, whose
whole judgement and probity has been called into question.

No self-respecting individual should be proud to sit in a Commission
of Inquiry designed to be nothing more than a cover-up.