31 August 2007

The kleptocrats

I like that word - "kleptocrats". An article in today's Guardian applies the term to Kenya's former leader Daniel Arap Moi as it documents the staggering level of plunder that Moi and his family derived from the African country's treasury. The information comes from a report by risk consultancy Kroll, commissioned by the Kenyan government after Moi left office but never published. Amongst the revelations:

Mr Moi's sons - Philip and Gideon - were reported to be worth £384m and £550m respectively.

His associates colluded with Italian drug barons and printed counterfeit money.

His clique owned a bank in Belgium.

The threat of losing their wealth prompted threats of violence between Mr Moi's family and his political aides.

£4m was used to buy a home in Surrey and £2m to buy a flat in Knightsbridge

There have been no prosectuitons against Mr. Moi, any members of his family or any of his "business" associates as a result of the investigation.

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