Wednesday April 17, 2019
by Zipporah Weru
The directors accused of using offshore companies including Amazon International FZE/C registered in Ajman UAE to launder funds belonging to the company.
Bluebird Aviation Director, Yussuf Abdi Adan, nows wants the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti to institute criminal investigations against three shareholders and executives of the company.
In a sworn petition handed over to the DCI by Adan, through Lawyer Paul Muite, three directors of Bluebird Aviation, Hussein Ahmed Farah (Chairman and CEO), Hussein Unshur Mohamed (general manager) and Mohamed Abdikadir Adan (technical director) have been accused of orchestrating criminal offences which necessitate urgent investigations.
With a fleet of more than 20 jets, Bluebird Aviation Ltd, is licensed to operate scheduled, non-scheduled and ad-hoc air charter services in the Eastern Africa region. Photo: Citizen
Adan accused his fellow directors of engaging in massive fraud, theft, tax evasion, embezzlement of company assets and money laundering.
The directors, are accused of using offshore companies including Amazon International FZE/C registered in Ajman UAE to launder funds belonging to the company.
He also states that the directors have irregularly converted company assets into shares in other companies including, SafariLink Aviation Ltd, 748 Air Services Kenya, 748 Air Services Barbados and 748 Air Service Dubai Multi-Commodity Centre (DMCC), Mount Hood Investments, Blue Eagle Developers among others.
Adan has also alerted Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Jonny Andersen to commence an internal probe against the three directors over abuse of designated Airport All Access Area passes issued to them.
Using the Airport All Access passes, Adan accused his co-directors of bypassing airport security searches at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to transport liquid cash stolen from Bluebird Aviation to offshore destinations.
“I am aware that these directors have been misusing these airport passes by bypassing airport authorities and security personnel by physically transporting stolen liquid cash rightfully belonging to Bluebird aviation limited to the United Arab Emirates via JKIA and depositing the same in offshore accounts,” said Adan in a letter to KAA managing director.
Adan also said the National Bank of Kenya Chairman Mohamed Hassan is involved for his role in providing financial services consultancies for the three directors, knowing too well that the money entrusted to him had been misappropriated from the company.
Already, Adan has filed a civil case at the Milimani Commercial Court seeking to recover more than KSh 100 billion embezzled and misappropriated from Bluebird Aviation in the last 26 years.
Interestingly, three years down the line, the case has never been heard as it has been dogged by delaying tactics arising from multiple similar applications filed by the directors.
“I verily believe that my life and that of my family is at great risk and may be subject to harm with the sole intention of putting pressure on me and my family to withdraw the ongoing dispute in court,” Adan said.
Adan wants the DCI boss George Kinoti to investigate the matter saying his life is in danger.
He said the directors continue to enjoy state security with more than 50 Administration Police officers, irregularly assigned for their close protection and residential guarding.
In court papers, Adan, states that the three other, each holding a 25% stake in the firm, have conspired to exclude him from the aviation firm’s operations including financial dealings.
With a fleet of more than 20 jets, Bluebird Aviation Ltd, is licensed to operate scheduled, non-scheduled and ad-hoc air charter services, medical evacuation and relief services within the East and Central African region with special emphasis on Eastern Africa.
Over the last two decades, the firm, has grown into one of the most reliable air passenger and cargo charter companies in the region, catering for not only the humanitarian sector but also private and government institutions and Miraa cargo freighting to Somalia.