Court told of conflict over Anglo Leasing

By WILFRED AYAGA

Police received conflicting instructions from former Internal Security minister Chris Murungaru and Governance and Ethics Permanent Secretary John Githongo at the height of investigations into the Anglo Leasing scandal, it emerged Wednesday.

The High Court heard that an attempt in 2005 by Githongo to compel senior lawyer Fred Ojiambo into revealing confidential information relating to the real faces behind the scandal brought him into direct conflict with Murungaru, who asked the police to back off from arresting Ojiambo.

Ojiambo’s law firm had at the time been hired by the shadowy company to run media advertisements on its behalf.

The revelations came to light during a case in which the former powerful minister in the Kibaki administration has sued Githongo for publishing a dossier that linked him to the scandal.

During cross-examination by Githongo’s lawyer, Andrew Wandabwa, Murungaru admitted that he blocked Githongo’s attempts to get information from Ojiambo on grounds that such information was privileged and could not be provided to a third party.

Murungaru’s assertions prompted Githongo’s lawyer to suggest that his actions were meant to protect the real masterminds behind the Anglo Leasing contracts.

He defended himself against the contents of a Parliamentary Accounts Committee report that claimed that he had received protection from Kiraitu Murungi, who was the Minister for Justice at the time.

He admitted that the people behind the Anglo Leasing contracts had returned money that they had been paid from the Consolidated Fund.

Pressed by Justice David Onyancha to reveal the names of the people who had returned the money, Murungaru responded that the names were well known, since they had signed the contracts.

The hearing continues.