KPA and the taxman differ on status of Arturs cargo
Story by NATION Correspondent
Publication Date: 7/11/2006
The Nation, Kenya
July 11 2006
There was conflicting information on the status of containers imported
by the two Armenian brothers as the joint parliamentary committee
began receiving evidence on the saga in Mombasa.
According to the Kenya Ports Authority, there were only four containers
belonging to the Artur brothers. But the Kenya Revenue Authority says
there were more than seven whose whereabouts remain a mystery.
KPA container terminal manager James Rarieya told the team co-chaired
by Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe and his Kabete counterpart Paul Muite,
that the four containers had been seized and were being held by the
port police.
"Three containers are being held by Mombasa port police, while the
fourth was intercepted while being transported to Nairobi, and is
being held at the Inland Container Deport in Nairobi," Mr Rarieya said.
But a KRA southern region senior assistant commissioner Alphonse
Ntongaiti said there were more containers linked to Artur Margaryan
and his brother Artur Sargsyan that had not been cleared.
"Two of the containers imported by Kensington Holdings Limited have not
been claimed, as the clearing agent has gone underground," Mr Ntongaiti
told the team that was going round the port’s container terminal.
Only one container in police custody had been opened to have the
goods verified, but the remaining two were still intact, awaiting a
court order to have them opened and goods determined.
Earlier, Mr Muite raised concerns that the container verified did
not have its false wooden bottom opened to ensure proper verification.
The two containers that have not been claimed bear serial numbers
PONU 761388 and PONU 801448, and were imported by Kensington Holdings
from Dubai.
Mr Muite called on those with information involving the two people
and the companies associated with them to present it to the committee.
"We will also want to collect information from companies such as
Brotherlink International, Kensington Holdings and the clearing
agents of the companies that handled the goods for the Armenians,"
Mr Kajembe said.
Mr Muite said the joint committee was interested in establishing
where the other containers were, whether duty has been assessed and
paid and the type of goods that the two brothers had imported.