A government inquiry does not know the real names of two men it is investigating, nor their nationality, nor whether they are brothers as they claim. A lawyer trying to represent the two alleged "Armenians" was sent away and told to come back when he works out who they are.
These are two of the more bizarre aspects of a dizzying series of corruption scandals, piled one on another, which have deepened Kenya's reputation as one of the most graft-infested places in the world, rated 144th out of 158 in the latest survey by the Transparency International (TI) corruption watchdog. And in another surreal twist, the Kenyan branch of TI last month fired its executive director. For corruption.
Recently, new scandals have involved the central bank -- whose governor is on trial for nepotism -- a private bank suspected of money laundering, Kenya's biggest supermarket chain accused of massive tax evasion, and perhaps most seriously a glaring security breach at Nairobi airport.
This is in addition to two long-running graft cases worth more than $1.2 billion that have forced the resignation of three ministers in President Mwai Kibaki's government this year.
The new wave of corruption, stunning even by local standards, has caused deep disappointment among both Western donor nations and Kenyans who voted Kibaki to a sweeping victory in 2002 on promises to root out endemic graft.
"Until we deal comprehensively and ruthlessly with corruption, we can't even begin to talk about being proud to be Kenyan," said Lucy Oriang, a Daily Nation newspaper columnist.
An official commission of inquiry is now sitting to investigate the self-styled Armenians, known here as the "two Arturs" -- partly because despite their fraternal claims, they had different surnames, which are believed to be false anyway.
Kibaki ordered the commission after the Arturs were summarily deported to Dubai after an incident where they stormed into the closed security area at Nairobi airport carrying guns. According to evidence at the inquiry, the men, alleged to have wide criminal connections, also punched a customs official and drew weapons to confront a hostile crowd.
Not only had they somehow been given passes to the closed areas of all airports in Kenya, but furnished with the rank of deputy policy commissioners. The incident caused howls of protest from Western envoys deeply concerned at the breaches in aviation security.
"This was another incident of the rot going deep," said a Western diplomat in the region who asked not to be named.
Press transcripts of the commission hearings have become compulsive reading for many Kenyans, though there is widespread cynicism over whether senior officials will be prosecuted. Opposition politicians say the hurried deportation of the "Armenians" and the commission itself are a cover-up to hide the fact they enjoyed protection from powerful figures.
The Arturs, known for their tight black shirts, gold "bling" and big parties, first came under public scrutiny in March when an opposition leader accused them of being mercenaries who led a police commando raid on Kenya's second biggest media house.
Internal Security Minister John Michuki staunchly defended the raid as being in the interests of national security despite a storm of domestic and international criticism. Spreading corruption has serious implications for Kibaki, who is thought to be planning to run for re-election next year.
A recent survey by the government's own anti-corruption body showed that Kenyans saw the Security Ministry and the police as the country's most corrupt institutions and this is widely seen as contributing to a rising wave of violent crime.
Taken with the security breaches at the airport, police corruption has caused grave concern among Western diplomats. They see Kenya as a growing centre for narcotics trading, illegal immigration and money laundering. They also believe corruption makes Kenya vulnerable to terrorism. "We can't achieve what we want on terrorism. We can't work with the police and security services," one diplomat said.
"It is very difficult to deal with the country on terrorism if the police force is corrupt, if the judiciary is corrupt, if ministers are clearly up to their necks in it," said Dr Ian Taylor, senior lecturer in International Relations at Britain's St Andrew's University.
The graft also has an economic impact, frightening away Western investors, although China and rising Asian powers are eager to step into the breach.