Goldenberg Inquiry& Somaia to be grilled over Pattni's Sh1.4 billion.

(From The Nation (Kenya) - AAGM)

Byline: Mugo Njeru & Mugumo Munene

Businessman Ketan Somaia will today try to explain to the Goldenberg Inquiry why he was paid Sh1.4 billion by Mr Kamlesh Pattni in a flurry of transactions over seven months.

The Commission is looking into the movement of the sums paid to the 18th witness by the key mover in Goldenberg.

On just one day - January 28, 1993 - Mr Pattni paid to Mr Somaia's company some Sh216 million through four different cheques drawn by the same bank, Exchange Bank Ltd.

Among the directors of Exchange Bank at the time were Mr Pattni and a former Special Branch boss, Mr James Kanyotu.

Mr Somaia is also expected to explain why another amount of more than Sh1 billion was paid to him the same year by Mr Pattni through Nairobi law firm Hamilton Harrison & Mathews. He explained during yesterday's hearing that the money was for the purchase of his shares in a variety of companies, but that the transactions were never completed.