The High Court has allowed the police to continue investigating Diamond Plaza owner Madatali Chatur over human trafficking allegations.
The Kanu-era billionaire had filed an application in Court seeking to stop the investigations saying that the investigations were breaching his rights.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Weldon Korir, the Court found that the application was based on speculations and fears.
“The impression I get is that the petitioner wants this court to protect his purported “clean record”. The court has no such powers. So long as the respondents (police) are acting within the confines of the law, they should be allowed to proceed,” said Justice Korir.
Read: 11 Kenyans Rescued In Eastleigh In Suspected Human Trafficking Case
Chatur had argued that a search into his homes was threatening his marriage, since it was too ‘intrusive’.
“He does not explain how this is so unless he wants to say that his marriage is hanging on a thin thread. If that be so, he should not blame the police when the thread snaps,” added Korir.
Chatur who also owns Muthaiga shopping mall said that the state was planning to deport him, a claim the Court found to be unfounded.
He had been summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on September 9, 2019, to record a statement concerning the allegations.He argued in Court that the police acted on rumours, innuendo and bad mouthing by jealous business rivals.
Read: Human Trafficking Syndicate Busted, 31 Women Rescued In Mombasa
Chatur further claimed that he had lost business due to the investigations, since clients, partners and other visitors who frequented Diamond Plaza no longer went there.
In March 2020, Chatur announced plans to sell all his Kenyan properties, estimated to be worth Ksh76.99 billion.
In his ‘success’ story, Chatur says that he rose from an electronic shop that he opened in River Road, Nairobi, in 1977.
However, he is said to have been one of those who enjoyed the trappings of power during the Moi era, leading the Indian Community delegation to the State House all the time.
In February 2020, Mr Chatur was arrested alongside Nandi Hills Mp Alfred Keter and Aurthur Ingolo Sakwa for what the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit and the Central Bank of Kenya said was presenting a forged 90-day Treasury Bills dated 1990.
Read: Nine Ethiopian Male Victims Of Human Trafficking Rescued By Detectives
The Chatur Group of Companies however denied the claims, saying that the Chatur arrested was not related to the ‘real’ Chatur.
He also owns Mithoo House, Diamond Plaza II, Hope International, Ngara Shopping Complex, Simba Centre, Mariam Arcade, Likoni Mall, Trust Building and New Muthaiga Shopping Mall.
His residential buildings include Langata Paradise Apartments, Bahari Dhow Villas, and houses in Nyari Estate and Fourth Parklands Avenue.
He also owns the Concord Hotel and Suites, Mara Concord, Shelly Beach Resort and the Cloud Hotel.
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