11 October, 2008

Team summons port officials over military cargo

A parliamentary team worked late into the night to unravel the mystery of the military hardware in the hijacked Ukrainian ship.

The Kenya Ports Authority boardroom in Mombasa was busy on Thursday as port officials were summoned to shed light on the cargo aboard Mv Faina, seized by pirates off the Somalia Coast.
Parliamentary committee on Defence and Foreign Relations grilled acting KPA managing director James Mulewa and his team and Kenya Maritime Authority director general Nancy Karigithu.
House committee chairman Adan Keynan said they were making progress in the investigation, adding those who appeared before the committee co-operated.

"We are happy with the turnout and the co-operation we have received. Our target was to interview players at the port," Keynan said.
He was accompanied by Jeremiah Kioni (Maragwa), Wilson Litole (Sigor), Kiema Kilonzo (Mutito) and Hassan Joho (Kisauni).
"We cannot divulge any information until the full report is presented to Parliament. But we are going to interview officials from Government under the KPA umbrella," Keynan said. The committee, which was expected to spend four days at the Coast, was set to interrogate other players in the shipping industry and security officers.

Pirates hijacked Mv Faina two weeks ago with 33 military tanks destined for Mombasa port, but its final destination remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, the East Africa Seafarers Assistance Programme co-ordinator Andrew Mwangura walked to freedom on Friday evening, after he was released from the Shimo La Tewa Maximum Security Prison. Relatives, who whisked him away moments after civil society in Mombasa secured his bail, received Mwangura.

source:eastafrican standard

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