Kenya Times, Kenya
July 1 2006
Witness tells of Kalonzo, Arturs encounter
MP met the two people by chance, Kiruki commission told
By MAXWELL MASAVA & EMMANUEL ONYANGO
A MEETING between former Cabinet minister Kalonzo Musyoka and the two
deported Artur brothers was accidental, a commission inquiring into
their presence and activities in the country was told yesterday.
Rajendra Ratilal Sanghani commonly referred to as Raju Sanghani told
the commission yesterday that the Arturs, together with a third
person identified as Zakir Omar, met Musyoka by chance while on a
visit to Serena Hotel sometimes in November 2005.
Sanghani, the third witness to testify before the commission narrated
how he came to know the two brothers claiming that he met them in
Nairobi on November 10, 2005, after they had jetted in alongside
Zakir to explore business opportunities.
`We met many people among them Kalonzo to whom I introduced Zakir and
his group. At that time when they realized that he was a former
Minister of Foreign Affairs, they wanted to seek his opinion on some
investments they wanted to make in other neighbouring countries and
Congo. Since Hon Musyoka was busy at that time, he said he was going
to be in Grand Regency Hotel that evening for a different meeting. He
said he would spare them some moments there,’ he said while
exonerating Kalonzo on allegations of a planned meeting.
He also said the photograph session between the group and Mwingi
North MP was taken in good faith and he never thought the same could
be used for political reasons.
He told the commission that it was through Zakir that he came to know
Arturs as investors and members of Royal Families back in Armenia.
Zakir introduced Sargasyan and Margaryan as Mr Arthur and James
respectively, Sanghani told the commission.
Sanghani told the commission being headed by Shedrack Kiruki that he
also introduced the two brothers to many of his friends as Arthur and
James.
He told the commission that he had met his old acquittance, Zakir,
while on a trip in Mumbai, India, in May 2005 where they discussed
business opportunities in Kenya.
In his testimony, he said Zakir called later in October of the same
year expressing interest to invest in Kenyan market and arrived in
the country later in the same month accompanied by two other people
who turned out to be the Arturs.
While being guided by his lawyer, Mr Ladji, Sanghani told the
commission that he had all along believed that the Arturs were
genuine investors until March, this year, when their activities
started coming under intense scrutiny by the media.
He said the housing business alone would have seen him earn Sh300
million in profit had the two brothers not been deported.
He denied having invited the two brothers to the country but admitted
to having sent his emissaries to receive them at Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport on the day they arrived in the country.
He also admitted to having booked them at Grand Regency Hotel on
their first visit and later renting them the palatial house in
upmarket Runda Estate when they returned last year to execute their
investments.
Kalonzo was adversely mentioned by the two brothers during their
controversial stay in the country.
Alongside Langata MP Raila Odinga, Kalonzo was claimed to have
visited the two with the aim of accessing funds to topple the
Government.
The MPs denied the claims, saying the two were mercenaries hired by
the State to taint their names.