Sh36 million found stashed away in Runda
By TIMES TEAM
Kenya Times, Kenya
June 17 2006
THE deported Armenian duo of Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan
had 500,000 US dollars (approximately Sh36 million) in their Runda
residence, repeated search by detectives revealed.
Unfolding evidence also indicate 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 indicate 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 reveal the 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.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers at the port confirmed yesterday
that alleged mercenaries had, by the time of their deportation,
imported more than 28 containers at the port since March this year
and not one container as was previously reported.
Details dug through police investigations further reveal that the
duo were introduced to a senior politician by a Narc activist, and
that they held talks with the politician on four separate occasions.
As state guests, Magaryan and Sargasyan effectively enjoyed round
the clock protection from officers attached to the General Service
Unit and were also hosted in lavish hotels by Cabinet ministers,
senior police officers and senior civil servants.
Documents retrieved by the police during the twin raids of the
Armenian’s Runda home indicate that the Arturs also had correspondence
with another senior government official who had commended their
efforts to invest in Kenya.
At the same time KRA deputy commissioner in charge of the southern
region Ntongaine Alphonce Mronga confirmed that the Armenian brothers
had evaded duty by claiming a tax waiver for the containers which
they claimed were meant for charity.
Addressing the press at the Mombasa port police yard during the
verification of one of the containers, the KRA commissioner also named
the Marketing Bureau Services, under the directorship of James Gitonga,
as the company hired by the Artur’s brothers to clear the cargo.
"This is a punishable offence because we thought the container was
carrying television sets only as indicated by the Import Declaring Form
(IDF). However inside it there is an assortment of goods," Ntongaine
said as he revealed that the remaining containers within the port’s
precincts will be impounded next week.
The IDF indicated that the 40 feet container was carrying televisions,
but a physical verification by the customs revealed that it contained
an assortment of goods including mobile phones, generators, small
radios and mattresses. Others were portable gasoline generators,
speakers and DVD’s.
During the verification exercise, witnessed by the port’s deputy OCPD
Ayub Gitonga, all goods were emptied from the container before two
sniffer dogs from the anti-narcotics department said to have been
airlifted from Nairobi. The sniffer dogs could not however detect
any narcotics .
And in a fascinating turn of events, the management of a newly
established Casino in Nairobi has denied having any links with the
controversial who were deported a week. The management denied that the
duo were among a group of VIP’s invited during the official opening
of the casino last Friday.
Stanislav Ganchev, a manager at the Casino Technology located at the
Grand Regency hotel yesterday convened a press conference at the
hotel where he denied media reports linking the two brothers with
their business.
Contrary to media reports, Ganchev said the Casino was co-owned by
two Bulgarians whom he named as Shtilian Stoyanov and a Zlatigelev and
flayed reports that a local businessman, who was adversely mentioned
in Goldenberg case, was a major partner in the business.
He said the management had invited 50 guests during the official
opening of the Casino on June 8, and neither the Armenian brothers nor
their accomplices were on the guest list. However, Ganchev failed to
avail the list of the invited guests nor disclose the names of those
who were invited citing customer privacy.
He also said that by the time police officers raided the residence
of the Artur’s in up-market Runda estate and confiscated CCTV
cameras, they had already installed their own first class and modern
surveillance system. This was in response to a question as to whether
the recovered CCTV cameras were meant to be installed in the Casino.
And the Parliamentary committees on Administration of Justice and
Legal Affairs- chaired by Paul Muite- and that of Administration,
National Security and Local Authorities- chaired by Seif Kajembe-
agreed at a joint session held at County Hall yesterday to probe the
controversial brothers saga together contrary to the divisions that
had emerged as to which committee had the legal mandate as per the
standing orders last week.
The committees agreed that the probe, commenced by the Muite team in
March this year following the raid at the Standard/KTN in which the
Artur brothers adversely mentioned, be chaired by the two Chairpersons
as respective vice chairmen Kenneth Marende and Musa Sirma coordinate
the summoning of individuals who have any useful information to assist
in the unraveling of the truth surrounding the Armenian saga.
The meeting agreed on the terms of reference on the investigations
that will begin on Tuesday when immigration minister takes the witness
stand to tell Kenyans how the foreigners came to the country and on
whose invitation. Also to be investigated is the Arturs business and
conduct during their short stay in the country, business associates
and or partners that interacted with them.
The joint parliamentary committees will further grill the security
minister John Michuki, Police Commissioner Hussein Ali and suspended
Criminal Investigations Director Joseph Kamau on the breaches of
security committed by the Armenians and their associates in Kenya.
The circumstances and the manner under which they were hurriedly
deported from the country will also be investigated in addition to
the role various government agencies and other certain individuals
in the saga.
The committee, according to a statement by the joint parliamentary
team will probe into any other issues that may determine to be of
relevance to the investigations in unraveling the mystery surrounding
the aliens alleged to be mercenaries or investors.
The Muite committee has since indicated that it will be summoning
politicians Raila Odinga who blew the whistle on the mercenaries
claims, Kalonzo Musyoka, Security Minister Michuki, Police Commissioner
Hussein Ali, CID director Joseph Kamau, State House Controller Hyslop
Ipu and PS Stanley Murage as well as Narc activist Mary Wambui and
her daughter Winnie Wangui to state what they knew of Margaryan
and Sargasyan.