Artur ‘brother’ wants to spill beans on raid

The Artur brothers, Margaryan (left) and Sargsyan, who according to a report that is yet to be tabled in Parliament were involved in various illegal activities. Photo/FILE 

By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, November 14 2010 at 21:37

A man claiming to be one of the Armenian brothers, Artur Margaryan, called the Daily Nation on Sunday night saying he was ready to clear his name over the infamous 2006 Standard raid.

Mr Margaryan said he was “very happy” that Parliament wanted the report on the commission of inquiry into their illegal activities and said he was ready to come back to Kenya to testify against “key government officials”.

“I will be the most happy man if the inquiry report is made public. I have material to give concerning the true story about the Standard raid. I have audio and video recordings on the discussions that went on before the raid,” the caller said.

Speaking from Qatar, the man said he was “tired” of having his name in the Kenyan press over what he said he considered “false allegations” on his conduct when he was in Kenya.

He said he had video and audio footage, most of it taken in the meetings he held with senior government officials in Nairobi.

“I have a lot of CCTV (closed-circuit television) footage taken from the house (in Runda) and my room at the (Grand Regency) hotel. I also have a recording of my talks with top government officials,” he said.

Mr Margaryan, who, together with his brother Artur Sargsyan, were hurriedly deported from the country after they caused a major security breach at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, said he wanted to come to Kenya to “give the truth about the Standard raid”, and the activities of the two in the country.

“I am tired of being called a con man and drug trafficker. This thing keeps haunting me and my family and my country. I am sick of these things. I have no problem at all coming back to tell the truth,” said the man who spoke with a heavy accent.

He said he was not seeking a trade-off by threatening to spill the beans if the report by the inquiry, led by former police commissioner Shedrach Kiruki, is released to the public.