UK professor: No Anglo Leasing ghost firms

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi in court. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By ABIUD OCHIENG

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Summary

• Prof Joseph Campbell Sharman urged that investigators are best placed to reveal whether Infortalent engaged in economic crime.
• Infortalent was one of the firms offered multibillion- shilling tenders that the government cancelled as irregular in 2003 and was depicted in past accounts as a ghost company — a firm not registered.

A Cambridge University professor hired to shed light on the Anglo Leasing contracts says one of the firms offered security contracts was registered as an offshore shell company but does not have evidence it was linked to economic fraud.

Prof Joseph Campbell Sharman, who specialises in research on corruption and money laundering, says shell firms mostly deal in corrupt dealings and urged that investigators are best placed to reveal whether Infortalent engaged in economic crime.

Infortalent was one of the firms offered multibillion- shilling tenders that the government cancelled as irregular in 2003 and was depicted in past accounts as a ghost company — a firm not registered.

Prof Sharman on Wednesday testified via video link after preparing a report for Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in 2016 showing how shell companies are used to promote corruption. “ I was asked by EACC to give an opinion, which I did,” he said Wednesday.

Prof Sharman’s 2016 opinion said there were suspicions that Infortalent might have been registered as a shell company for purposes of engaging in economic fraud.

READ: US Anglo Leasing witness disowns EACC evidence

However, he said not all shell companies are used to commit fraud and that other factors have to be taken into account.

Prof Sharman told the court that his earlier opinion was based on bank account opening documents, bank statements, Auditor-General’s report, and the contract between Infortalent and the Kenyan government.

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi for the defence said the don’s opinion as based on partial information and that some documents such as approvals from state departments including that of the Attorney-General were not available to him.

The hearing resumes on March 12 in the suit where former senior State officials and businessmen have been charged in connection with the scam.