Kamani now summoned over Anglo-Leasing scam

By CYRUS OMBATI

The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission has summoned businessman Deepak Kamani over the Anglo-Leasing scandal.

Kamani was expected to appear before the commission’s detectives yesterday but had not done so by the time we went to press. Sources at the commission said the officers handling the case had summoned Kamani in renewed investigation into the mega scam that has cost Kenyans billions of shillings.

"We were expecting him at 4pm because he is the one who said he would be free at that time," a source said.

Kamani owned four main companies that were paid billions of shillings to supply security equipment, which were never done.

Government documents show Kamani owned Silverson Establishment, Forensic laboratories Ltd, Anglo Leasing and Finance Ltd, and Infotalent. The money paid to the companies was, however, later returned to the Government.

Cabinet position

The contracts were for the supply of security-related equipment. KACC investigators returned from Britain two weeks ago where they met officers of the Serious Fraud Office over the scam.

The development comes at a time ministers have been asked to take a common stand on whether Treasury should pay for 16 controversial security-related contracts. This follows concern over the huge Sh50-billion bill that taxpayers will have to foot should the payments be okayed. Some firms, mostly associated with Kamani, overpriced services they purportedly rendered to Government.

The report said the Government paid the funds in advance before Satspace supplied the equipment.

Another Sh2.2 billion contract, where the Ministry of Transport contracted Universal Satspace for the provision of 10 years worth of bandwidth in 980 post offices, showed the supplier had overpriced their services.