MYSTERY DEEPENS AS ARTURS’ FOREIGN GUESTS VANISH
Dominic Wabala
The Nation (Kenya)
Jun 15, 2006
Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of six foreigners who entered the
country on the same night the two Armenian brothers caused a scene
at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The six were part of the entourage that caused a security scare at
the airport. But they were overlooked in the commotion that followed
when the Artur brothers defied orders to open luggage for inspection.
The six were driven to the five star Grand Regency Hotel together
with a businessman who had figured in the Goldenberg affair.
They were in the same convoy as the Artur brothers, Sargsyan and
Margaryan, who were later deported together with two other Armenians.
Four of the six were booked in at the Grand Regency but checked out the
following day after news broke of the brothers’ arrest and deportation.
The four, who were originally booked to stay at the hotel until June
28, have since disappeared – and the whereabouts of the other two
foreigners could not be established either.
Police said last night they did not know what had happened to the
six, explaining they had been focusing their attentions on the Artur
brothers and the two other Armenians deported with them.
The six foreigners who had arrived from Dubai and were received by
the Artur brothers at JKIA last Thursday night were whisked away to
the Grand Regency after the Armenians and their bodyguards grabbed
their bags and escorted them to a convoy of cars. They left the
airport with about seven other people.
The bags and their contents were left in five rooms reserved for the
associates of the businessman.
When the foreigners checked out after spending just one night,
their bill – around Sh25,000 each – was marked for payment by the
same businessman.
According to documents shown to the Nation, the four guests were
booked into the hotel at about 8:30 pm.
The next morning, a manager instructed some of the hotel staff to
check them out.
Hotel records show three of the four foreigners gave fictitious
addresses in the United Arab Emirates, while the fourth gave a New
Delhi address that is not consistent with the city’s postal system.
Sources revealed the Armenian brothers and the businessman who paid
their bills were scheduled to open a new casino at the Grand Regency
on the night they were deported.
The casino was opened in spite of the brothers’ absence under the
watchful eye of the businessman and the Armenians’ associates.
Close circuit television cameras seized at the brothers’ Runda home
were to have been be installed at the casino.
Meanwhile, members of the commission of inquiry named by President
Kibaki to investigate the security violations at JKIA were sworn in
by Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, with the promise that their hearings
will be in public.
Commission chairman Shedrach Kiruki promised fairness and openness and
a thorough job, as he pleaded for patience from members of the public.
Mr Margaryan, who moved to Dubai when the brothers were deported from
Kenya, expressed his willingness to give evidence to the commission.
He also threatened to sue the Government.
And Catholic bishops yesterday expressed concern at Thursday’s security
breach at JKIA, saying it had raised great concern regarding security
in Kenya.
"At stake is the safety of Kenyans within our borders as well as our
pride as a sovereign state," the 28 bishops said in a statement signed
by the chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, Bishop John Njue.
Internal Security minister John Michuki yesterday ordered journalists
out of his office when the outgoing US ambassador to Kenya, Mr William
Bellamy, paid him a courtesy call.
Mr Michuki told the journalists – who had been invited by his office to
cover the meeting -to get out because the courtesy call was personal.
He declined to allow journalists to ask the ambassador any questions
even after Mr Bellamy had started talking about his tenure in Kenya.
The minister asked the reporters to remove their microphones soon
after they entered his office, saying he only wanted pictures of him
and Mr Bellamy taken as there were no discussions.
As the microphones were placed on the table, he asked: "What are this
for? I don’t think we need this… Just take pictures and leave.
There are no discussions here."
Attempts to persuade the minister to change his mind were rebuffed.
Mr Bellamy watched in bewilderment, at times smiling as Mr Michuki
asked his aides to remove the journalists.
He accused the media of going to cover the function because they
wanted to follow up a story from Parliament where MPs had earlier
said the minister should be sacked over the security breach at the
airport involving the Artur brothers.
The MPs had demanded that Mr Michuki and his Immigration counterpart,
Mr Gideon Konchellah, be sacked for allowing Mr Margaryan and Artur
Sargsyan to compromise the security of the country.
The two brothers stormed the airport brandishing pistols and seizing
luggage that they refused to be checked. They were later found to
have guns and bullets in their Runda estate home.
Instead of being charged in court, the Armenians were deported and
the Opposition accused the Government of trying to cover up the saga.
Mr Michuki said: "You have come here because of what happened in
Parliament…not because of the ambassador. I have nothing to say."
Mr Michuki – speaking mainly in Kiswahili – refused to answer questions
on whether or not he was going to resign. Instead he said: "You are
now being disrespectful… We have asked you to leave."
At that point, his aides started pushing journalists out of the
minister’s office.
In his brief remarks, Mr Bellamy said Kenya was a good country and
he would return in a different capacity and encourage Americans to
visit the country.
He said: "I will certainly be returning. I have been very fortunate
to make many friends. This is a very big country…I am going to
encourage other Americans to come."