Tweet
KENYA: ARMENIANS: THE INSIDE STORY
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
March 15, 2006
Posted to the web March 14, 2006
The hand of well-connected Government operatives yesterday showed
itself in the unfolding saga surrounding two Armenians said to be
mercenaries with a mission on Kenyan soil.
It also emerged that either one or both men arrived at the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for their sensational
Press conference on Monday in a Government vehicle, complete with
security escort.
They were received by several civil servants, led by a senior Kenya
Airports Authority manager, The Standard has learnt.
The reports came as Government-aligned MPs called for the arrest
and prosecution of former Roads minister Raila Odinga, who blew the
whistle on the Armenians, and who the two men have alleged to have
lent Sh108 million.
The Government of National Unity MPs said in a statement that Raila
was destabilising the country through propaganda.
And police are seeking Mwingi North MP Kalonzo Musyoka to record a
statement following his admission that he may have met the men.
But in a rejoinder, the Orange Democratic Movement claimed the
Armenians were State guests and that their Monday morning Press
conference was facilitated by Government officials.
On his part, Kabete MP Paul Muite claimed the Armenians had been
hosted at State House. But President Kibaki issued a statement denying
the claim.
The Standard learnt from a KAA employee that the Armenians - Mr
Artur Sargysyan and Mr Artur Margaryan -were driven to the airport,
whisked through an electronically -operated secret door into a transit
restaurant where they waited for a Kenya Airways plane to land from
Dubai. This was to make it appear like one of them had just stepped
off the plane.
The operation almost backfired because the plane, which was supposed
to land at 6:30am, delayed for 40 minutes.
When it finally landed, the men were moved towards the plane through
an emergency and little-used door on the air bridge, 20 minutes after
other passengers had disembarked.
A KAA employee shepherded them to the air bridge, the mechanically
extendable access to the doors of the plane.
We have also learned that the two men were accompanied by a State
House employee, a personal assistant of a National Rainbow Coalition
activist and a middle-level protocol officer, who took them to the
VIP lounge that is the preserve of ministers, top civil servants,
the top cream of the diplomatic and international guests.
Their arrival attracted the attention of the staff on duty because
they used a blue GK-plated vehicle, escorted by a red saloon car with
KAT registration. Curiosity mounted when the group used the parking
normally reserved for the KAA General Manager at the office inside
the airport ring.
The latest revelations cast doubt on claims by one of the Armenians
that he arrived in Kenya on Monday morning to clear his name. The
KAA employee said both men were driven into the airport in one car,
and then taken through a route for new arrivals.
There was more confusion when Kenya Airways declined to confirm the
authenticity of an alleged flight manifest sent to newsrooms by lawyer
Fred Ngatia - the man who organised the news conference.
The alleged manifest, whose date did not indicate the year, only had
a list of names, with no details of seats and compartments.
A KAA official pointed out that it was lacking a crucial
internationally mandatory line on the top. The airline said a flight
manifest could not be released, except on orders of a court or police.
The plot thickened when Immigration minister Gideon Konchellah said
the men were citizens of the Czech Republic, who had arrived on a
private jet. He later issued a statement clarifying that they were
Armenian businessmen with permits to be in Kenya.
Ngatia, a senior Nairobi-based lawyer, called up journalists on Sunday
night and was at the airport early on Monday morning to facilitate
their clearance to the VIP lounge.
Yesterday, KAA Deputy Managing Director Naomi Cidi denied claims by
ODM that she had been involved in the Monday drama.
Asked why the men were allowed into the VIP lounge, she said the room
was opened on the request of journalists. Accounts of journalists
who covered the conference however indicated that special passes to
the VIP lounge were awaiting them when they arrived at the airport,
as Ngatia had been given their names the night before.
And police yesterday went to a house in Runda Estate, Nairobi, where
the Armenians are staying, ostensibly to arrest them. But they were
denied access and left, only for one of the Armenians to speed away
in a blue car.
On Tuesday, the Armenians came out in the open with a claim that
they had loaned Raila $1.5 million (Sh108 million). They also claimed
Raila - who had circulated copies of their passports saying they took
part in the commando raid on the Standard Group premises on March
2 - and Kalonzo Musyoka, had asked them for Sh3 billion last year,
ostensibly to finance a No-confidence motion against President Kibaki.
Yesterday, reports filtered in that the officer investigating the
mercenary claims - Nairobi deputy criminal investigations officer
Isaiah Osugo - had sent word he wanted Kalonzo, who said on Monday
that he met the foreigners, to record a statement. The ODM leader is,
however, in Ethiopia and it was not clear when he would come back.
In another twist, Kenya Airport Police Unit investigators, whose head
Mr Moses Nyakwama told journalists they were kept in the dark on the
presence of the Armenians in the airport and their unlimited access
to secluded and privileged areas, questioned seven KAA employees who
cleared the Armenians at every stage.
At Runda, Margaryan told journalists that they operated a company
called Brotherlinks International. But when the journalists dashed
to the office of the Registrar of Companies to search for its file
of incorporation and directorship, they were denied access to the
documents.
"This file is not available at the moment, you can use this number
(C120905) and come check at a later date," an officer told the
inquisitive journalists.
Usually, members of the public are allowed to search and peruse files
of registered companies at the Registrar of Societies offices at a
fee of Sh100.
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
March 15, 2006
Posted to the web March 14, 2006
The hand of well-connected Government operatives yesterday showed
itself in the unfolding saga surrounding two Armenians said to be
mercenaries with a mission on Kenyan soil.
It also emerged that either one or both men arrived at the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for their sensational
Press conference on Monday in a Government vehicle, complete with
security escort.
They were received by several civil servants, led by a senior Kenya
Airports Authority manager, The Standard has learnt.
The reports came as Government-aligned MPs called for the arrest
and prosecution of former Roads minister Raila Odinga, who blew the
whistle on the Armenians, and who the two men have alleged to have
lent Sh108 million.
The Government of National Unity MPs said in a statement that Raila
was destabilising the country through propaganda.
And police are seeking Mwingi North MP Kalonzo Musyoka to record a
statement following his admission that he may have met the men.
But in a rejoinder, the Orange Democratic Movement claimed the
Armenians were State guests and that their Monday morning Press
conference was facilitated by Government officials.
On his part, Kabete MP Paul Muite claimed the Armenians had been
hosted at State House. But President Kibaki issued a statement denying
the claim.
The Standard learnt from a KAA employee that the Armenians - Mr
Artur Sargysyan and Mr Artur Margaryan -were driven to the airport,
whisked through an electronically -operated secret door into a transit
restaurant where they waited for a Kenya Airways plane to land from
Dubai. This was to make it appear like one of them had just stepped
off the plane.
The operation almost backfired because the plane, which was supposed
to land at 6:30am, delayed for 40 minutes.
When it finally landed, the men were moved towards the plane through
an emergency and little-used door on the air bridge, 20 minutes after
other passengers had disembarked.
A KAA employee shepherded them to the air bridge, the mechanically
extendable access to the doors of the plane.
We have also learned that the two men were accompanied by a State
House employee, a personal assistant of a National Rainbow Coalition
activist and a middle-level protocol officer, who took them to the
VIP lounge that is the preserve of ministers, top civil servants,
the top cream of the diplomatic and international guests.
Their arrival attracted the attention of the staff on duty because
they used a blue GK-plated vehicle, escorted by a red saloon car with
KAT registration. Curiosity mounted when the group used the parking
normally reserved for the KAA General Manager at the office inside
the airport ring.
The latest revelations cast doubt on claims by one of the Armenians
that he arrived in Kenya on Monday morning to clear his name. The
KAA employee said both men were driven into the airport in one car,
and then taken through a route for new arrivals.
There was more confusion when Kenya Airways declined to confirm the
authenticity of an alleged flight manifest sent to newsrooms by lawyer
Fred Ngatia - the man who organised the news conference.
The alleged manifest, whose date did not indicate the year, only had
a list of names, with no details of seats and compartments.
A KAA official pointed out that it was lacking a crucial
internationally mandatory line on the top. The airline said a flight
manifest could not be released, except on orders of a court or police.
The plot thickened when Immigration minister Gideon Konchellah said
the men were citizens of the Czech Republic, who had arrived on a
private jet. He later issued a statement clarifying that they were
Armenian businessmen with permits to be in Kenya.
Ngatia, a senior Nairobi-based lawyer, called up journalists on Sunday
night and was at the airport early on Monday morning to facilitate
their clearance to the VIP lounge.
Yesterday, KAA Deputy Managing Director Naomi Cidi denied claims by
ODM that she had been involved in the Monday drama.
Asked why the men were allowed into the VIP lounge, she said the room
was opened on the request of journalists. Accounts of journalists
who covered the conference however indicated that special passes to
the VIP lounge were awaiting them when they arrived at the airport,
as Ngatia had been given their names the night before.
And police yesterday went to a house in Runda Estate, Nairobi, where
the Armenians are staying, ostensibly to arrest them. But they were
denied access and left, only for one of the Armenians to speed away
in a blue car.
On Tuesday, the Armenians came out in the open with a claim that
they had loaned Raila $1.5 million (Sh108 million). They also claimed
Raila - who had circulated copies of their passports saying they took
part in the commando raid on the Standard Group premises on March
2 - and Kalonzo Musyoka, had asked them for Sh3 billion last year,
ostensibly to finance a No-confidence motion against President Kibaki.
Yesterday, reports filtered in that the officer investigating the
mercenary claims - Nairobi deputy criminal investigations officer
Isaiah Osugo - had sent word he wanted Kalonzo, who said on Monday
that he met the foreigners, to record a statement. The ODM leader is,
however, in Ethiopia and it was not clear when he would come back.
In another twist, Kenya Airport Police Unit investigators, whose head
Mr Moses Nyakwama told journalists they were kept in the dark on the
presence of the Armenians in the airport and their unlimited access
to secluded and privileged areas, questioned seven KAA employees who
cleared the Armenians at every stage.
At Runda, Margaryan told journalists that they operated a company
called Brotherlinks International. But when the journalists dashed
to the office of the Registrar of Companies to search for its file
of incorporation and directorship, they were denied access to the
documents.
"This file is not available at the moment, you can use this number
(C120905) and come check at a later date," an officer told the
inquisitive journalists.
Usually, members of the public are allowed to search and peruse files
of registered companies at the Registrar of Societies offices at a
fee of Sh100.