Standard Group demands KSh 1.2 billion from government, refutes blackmail accusations
via Tuko1 min read
The Standard Group has called on the government to pay KSh 1.2 billion in outstanding advertising debt, rejecting accusations of greed and blackmail made by President William Ruto. The media house stated that it is, in fact, a victim of blackmail due to the State's failure to honor its financial obligations, which has impacted its operations and employees' livelihoods. The Standard Group emphasized its editorial independence, asserting that its journalism is guided by facts, public interest, and professional ethics, not political interests. The company also criticized the President's remarks on X as an attack on its journalistic foundation and a potential threat to press freedom, vowing to continue holding the government accountable without intimidation.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Tuko.
A Nakuru court has issued protection orders to the family of a woman allegedly murdered by her husband, Kenya Defence Forces Captain Edwin Muthomi Kaunga, who faces a murder charge. The court ordered Kaunga to cease issuing threats, harassment, and intimidation against the deceased's relatives. These orders followed a case filed by the family and former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who is named as an interested party in the proceedings. The family claims Kaunga has continued to terrorize them from custody through phone calls, with the caller identifying himself as Edwin and threatening to target the child left behind. Nakuru Senior Principal Magistrate Adet Vincent Okello barred Kaunga, either directly or through proxies, from harassing or threatening the family of the late Ann Mugweru. The Officer Commanding Station OCS at Nakuru Police Station has been directed to ensure compliance and enforcement of these interim orders. The application will be heard on July 7, 2026. The murder case, which involved the alleged stabbing of Anita Mugweru during a domestic dispute, garnered public attention in April, with former Governor Sonko stepping in to support the victim's five-year-old daughter.
Must ReadThe Environment and Land Court in Meru has issued a temporary injunction, stopping the construction of a State Lodge, airstrip, and golf course within the protected Imenti Forest. Justice Oguttu Mboya directed that no activity should occur in the affected sections of the forest until a petition challenging the project is heard and determined. The court order specifically bars any form of excision, allocation, surveying, leasing, licensing, clearing, construction, or development related to the proposed projects. It also mandates the preservation of the forest's current character, ecological condition, and legal status. The judge certified the matter as urgent and ordered respondents to disclose and file all project-related documents, including approvals, Environmental Impact Assessment reports, licenses, permits, maps, acreage surveys, feasibility studies, records of public participation, and agreements, within 14 days. The petitioners initiated the legal challenge, arguing that the proposed developments could undermine the ecological integrity and protected status of the forest. Public concern has grown over reports that approximately 100 acres of the forest might be designated for the presidential development project, drawing criticism from residents, environmental activists, and conservation groups.
A Tanzanian driver, Emmanuel Ndoro Chaka, and a Kenyan national, Paul Ogolla Ogutu, have been charged in a Mombasa Magistrate's court with trafficking 333.35 kilograms of bhang valued at KSh 10,000,500. Anti-narcotics detectives recovered the bhang from a truck driven by Chaka in the Mariakani area of Kaloleni Sub-County, Kilifi County, on June 19, 2026. Both men denied the charges, which were filed contrary to Section 4aii of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act. The prosecution opposed their release on bond, citing flight risk due to cross-border connections and the potential for interference with ongoing investigations. Mombasa Resident Magistrate Jamlick Muriithi Mwenda directed that the case be mentioned on July 2, 2026, for a pre-bail report and pre-trial directions.