By Standard Digital Reporter
Nairobi, Kenya: A civil society has come out in defense of businessman Kamlesh Pattni over the Goldenberg scandal following outcry over his acquittal.
Concern Citizens Kenya (CCK) said Kenyan courts had on two occasions acquitted Pattni over corruption and fraud chargesonly for him to be hauled back in court to face fresh charges by individuals out to exploit and maligned him in the eyes of the public.
“As human rights defenders we are concerned that Mr Pattni's rights are being blatantly violated and he is suffering gross injustice. We are especially concerned that the violation and injustice is even being aided by civil society organizations’,” they said.
The executive director of the organization Bradley Ouna noted that the businessman had been recently acquitted of all charges by the high court after 20 years court battle but a civil society, International Centre for Policy and Conflict (ICPC) has moved to the court of appeal.
Ouna explained that ICPC was being used by individuals to create a lynch mob attitude towards Mr Pattni, blackmail him by unending court processes and make him vulnerable to coercion and extortion.
He added that some of the individuals pushing for the prosecution through ICPC had personal differences with Pattni and were pushing the matter to court in order to intimidate and extort him.
“The case in court today is part of a torture process in a wider conspiracy to turn Pattni into a cash cow. Pattni is a human, a Kenyan and has rights too. But no human rights group has ever shown up to defend him. Why not defend Pattni too?” he posed.
The civil society noted that there were many people with ongoing and unresolved court cases involving grand scandals who were serving in the current government but are not the subject of court cases by ICPC or civil society.
They added that Pattni had been a victim human rights violation but no single human rights organization had defended him despite former Director of Pubic Prosecution having been found to have abused his office and former Court of Appeal judge having been found unsuitable Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board.
“It is very clear that Pattni is being targeted for discrimination and harassment putting in mind that scandals involving prominent personalities including had been dismissed in unclear circumstances,” he said.
“Throughout the numerous court cases, Pattni remained in the country and faced his many accusers. He went ahead to hand over to the government the Grand Regency Hotel and the Exchange Bank Treasury Bills. None other person involved in Maize, NHIF, the Free Primary Education funds misappropriation scandals have done the same,” he said.
