Pattni’s graft gang may be pardoned

• Pattni and other key people in Moi and Kibaki administration could benefit from a planned amnesty
• Githongo: Amnesty would be easier way to close past cases of corruption compared to prosecuting the suspects
• American envoy suggests plea bargain system where suspects are treated leniently in exchange for information
• ACK Bishop says amnesty law should be subjected to referendum because capital flight is a serious offence.

Goldenberg architect Kamlesh Pattni and key people in the Moi and Kibaki administrations could benefit from a planned amnesty for past corruption.

But to get the pardon, they would have to confess and pay back any money they stole.

The new amnesty law was in the pipeline, Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Martha Karua said on Thursday.

She spoke a day after former Ethics and Governance permanent secretary John Githongo proposed that those linked to past corruption be pardoned if they admitted their wrongdoing and returned the stolen money.

An easier way

According to Mr Githongo, amnesty would be an easier way to close past cases of corruption compared to prosecuting the suspects. The former anti-graft advisor in President Kibaki’s office returned to Kenya on Tuesday, three years after going into self-exile following alleged threats on his life after he exposed the Anglo Leasing scandal.

Should the proposal for pardon become law as Ms Karua indicated on Thursday, such forgiveness would benefit key politicians and senior civil servants implicated in Goldenberg and the Anglo Leasing scandals, which rocked the Moi and Kibaki administrations respectively.

Mr Pattni, who was adversely mentioned in the report prepared by the Bosire Commission of Inquiry into the Goldenberg saga could benefit from such pardon.

He is at the heart of the ongoing investigations into the sale of the Grand Regency Hotel. Mr Pattni has in the recent past said he gave up the hotel in exchange for amnesty. However, Central Bank has refuted his claims and said it only agreed to withdraw a civil case against Mr Pattni when he surrendered the hotel.

Other key personalities adversely mentioned in the Bosire report were retired president Moi’s sons, Gideon and Philip, Mr Moi’s former personal assistant Joshua Kulei, former Central Bank of Kenya governor Eric Kotut, former CBK deputy governor Eliphas Riungu, former CBK employees Job Kilach, Tom Werunga and Michael Wanjihia, former Treasury permanent secretaries Charles Mbindyo, Wilfred Karuga Koinange and Joseph Magari.

Politicians in the Narc administration who had been adversely mentioned in the Anglo Leasing and related scandals included the then Finance minister David Mwiraria, the then Internal Security minister Chris Murungaru and the then Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Kiraitu Murungi.

Mr Murungi and Mr Mwiraria were later cleared of any wrongdoing.

A number of former permanent secretaries and other government officials are also facing Anglo Leasing related cases in court. The include Kuresoi MP Zachayo Cheruiyot, who is a former Internal Security permanent secretary, former Home Affairs PS Sylvester Mwaliko, former Finance PS Magari and former finance secretary in the Office of the President, Mr John Agili Oralo.

Different cases

Other prominent personalities sued by Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission over different cases include Agriculture minister William Ruto, former Kenya Seed Company managing director Nathaniel Tum, former NSSF boss Josephat Konzolo and former National Aids Control Council boss Margaret Gachara, who was given a presidential pardon after serving part of her jail term.