Saitoti copter ‘bought with uncertified papers’

By Cyrus Ombati

Uncertified documents were used to purchase the helicopter that killed Internal Security minister George Saitoti, his deputy Orwa Ojode and five others.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) licencing officer James Muchemi told a commission investigating the crash that some of the documents that allowed the purchase of the chopper were not signed.

He said head of the division in which he works did not sign or make remarks in licensing forms as required. “The head of the division was on leave and the deputy was not present. The form was taken to a senior official, who signed but did not make remarks,” said Muchemi.

While being cross-examined by Saitoti’s family lawyer Fred Ngatia, he confirmed some areas in the forms were left blank.

Qualified and certified

He, however, defended himself noting he is one of senior officials, who licensed the chopper from Eurocopter and that the process was proper. Naomi Mwangi, a chief licensing officer at KCAA, told the commission that Captain Nancy Gituanja and Captain Luke Oyugi were scrutinised by same trainer and examiner

The two were trained how to fly the helicopter by Captain Charles Wachira, whom the witness said was a qualified and certified instructor and an approved examiner.

The commission heard that hours of flying for the two pilots and test on simulation were among key recommendations that were left blank in some of the forms.

The commission heard that Oyugi had four passes and the rest were either blank or a line drawn on the entry.  Mwangi said that she saw the letter from the police addressed to KCAA requesting them to make registration reservations for the chopper they were intending to procure and to conduct an inspection on the aircraft, which was in South Africa.

Dismantled and ferried

The commission has established that the plane was manufactured in France in July 2011, according to the log provided by the manufacturer, but was later dismantled and ferried to South Africa where it was re-assembled ready for shipment to Kenya.

The commission under the chair of Court of Appeal judge, Justice Kalpana Rawal after hearing the testimonies yesterday later visited Lady Lori and Kenya Wildlife Service hangars where police choppers are repaired.

Apart from investigating the cause of the June 10 crash in Ngong forest, terms of reference for the commission include probing procedures surrounding the procurement and purchase of the helicopter AS350 B3e.

It shall also seek to establish how the helicopter was serviced since the time it was purchased.