Police are investigating the reported loss of hand luggage containing about Sh840 million in hard cash. The luggage was being carried by Uhuru Kenyatta one of The Hague suspects at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The police were told the bag had US$10 million in $100 bills. The bills had been tied in bundles and stuffed in the black bag he was seen carrying when he alighted from the plane.
'He had it when he came, only his bodyguards have recorded statements. He fears the perception the public would have of him if it were revealed he had with him such huge amount of money.
He has asked the police to keep it secret,’’ a senior police officer told The Standard in confidence.
When two of his bodyguards were questioned where they were when the bag disappeared, they explained to investigators they had gone to clear their boss’ papers with airport staff.
The bodyguards reportedly went looking for the bag on Monday evening – more than ten hours after the politician’s arrival.
They also later recorded statements explaining the circumstances in which they suspect the baggage went missing.
Police sources at Criminal Investigations Department headquarters and JKIA revealed the bodyguards cited their boss, saying he forgot the baggage at the VIP Lounge II, as he left in a hurry to board his car on Monday.
US dollars
'They say the bag had a lot of money in US dollars and their boss left it in the lounge, went for a short call, came back, and sat for a short while before they stood up and left for the arrival area,' said a police source, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the loss and the orders to keep the investigations close to their chests.
The circumstances around the massive loss remain mysterious because surveillance cameras, according to police sources, only recorded the politician with the bag inside the VIP Lounge II, and when he changed his seat.
But the Monday morning CCTV camera footage the police have been ordered to review meticulously record the politician sitting in the lounge with his bag, but does not capture what happened to the bulky hand luggage after he rose to go to the washrooms.
The police were told the bag had US$10 million in $100 bills. The bills had been tied in bundles and stuffed in the black bag he was seen carrying when he alighted from the plane.
'He had it when he came, only his bodyguards have recorded statements. He fears the perception the public would have of him if it were revealed he had with him such huge amount of money.
He has asked the police to keep it secret,’’ a senior police officer told The Standard in confidence.
When two of his bodyguards were questioned where they were when the bag disappeared, they explained to investigators they had gone to clear their boss’ papers with airport staff.
The bodyguards reportedly went looking for the bag on Monday evening – more than ten hours after the politician’s arrival.
They also later recorded statements explaining the circumstances in which they suspect the baggage went missing.
Police sources at Criminal Investigations Department headquarters and JKIA revealed the bodyguards cited their boss, saying he forgot the baggage at the VIP Lounge II, as he left in a hurry to board his car on Monday.
US dollars
'They say the bag had a lot of money in US dollars and their boss left it in the lounge, went for a short call, came back, and sat for a short while before they stood up and left for the arrival area,' said a police source, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the loss and the orders to keep the investigations close to their chests.
The circumstances around the massive loss remain mysterious because surveillance cameras, according to police sources, only recorded the politician with the bag inside the VIP Lounge II, and when he changed his seat.
But the Monday morning CCTV camera footage the police have been ordered to review meticulously record the politician sitting in the lounge with his bag, but does not capture what happened to the bulky hand luggage after he rose to go to the washrooms.
