News

By Jibril Adan

The Government sanctioned the raid on The Standard Group on March 1, last year, to stop the media house from publishing articles that would have tarnished President Kibaki’s name, a report tabled in Parliament says. When he appeared before the committee that compiled the report, Internal Security minister, Mr John Michuki, said The Standard had lined up articles that would have impinged on the person of the President.

Michuki said the stories contained allegations that some Government officers were involved in tribal clashes and terrorist bombings. The report also adds that a story published by newspaper on alleged meeting between Kibaki and Mr Kalonzo Musyoka might have triggered the raid. Michuki, the report adds, claimed the Commissioner of Police, Maj-Gen Hussein Ali, knew about the plans to raid the Group’s offices and printing press.

"The minister’s admission of the Government’s knowledge and execution of the raid is a clear indictment of the Government," the report says. It then draws a conclusion that Kibaki must have been aware of the plan. The report names key people behind the plot as Michuki, the President’s adviser, Mr Stanley Murage, and former Criminal Investigations Department chief, Mr Joseph Kamau.

It recommends that Michuki and Murage be removed from public office and prosecuted. Parliament says the alleged Armenian brothers led the raid. "The Artur brothers clearly demonstrated that they had political connections. A case in point was the instigated and orchestrated raid on the Standard Group," says the report. One of the images of people who staged the raid that was captured on CCTV cameras shows stunning resemblance to Artur Margaryan.

The report also wants other public officers involved, including police officers, and the two foreigners be held accountable. "The raid was a direct and blatant move to hinder the freedom of the Press as enshrined in the Constitution, and the extra judicial manner in which it was undertaken with the assistance of foreign mercenaries who had been defended by Government as investors is obnoxious and objectionable."