The Standard Media Group is facing an auction for failing to pay former Taita Taveta MP Basil Criticos Sh4.1 million awarded to him by the court.
The money that Criticos, the head of Kenya Trade Network Agency, obtained against the Mombasa Road-based media business for defamation is still unpaid. Criticos won a Sh4.1 million lawsuit in this regard.
In addition to Sh500,000 for suit costs, the court granted Criticos Sh3.6 million in compensation.
The former lawmaker has now attached six cars and other items, such as office furniture and wooden cabinets, for potential auction through Moran Auctioneers in an attempt to recoup the debt.
The warrant of attachment of movable property states in part:
“These are to command you to attach the movable property of the said Judgment/Debtor as set out in the schedule hereunto annexed or which shall be pointed out to you by the said D/holder and unless the said judgment debtor shall pay to you the said some of Sh4, 178,218 together with costs of this attachment, to hold the same until further orders from the court.”
Prior to the Auctioneer’s November 8th proceeding, the Warrant of Attachment and Sale was issued on November 6, 2023. The Auctioneer announced the Judgement Debtor’s movable assets and gave the required seven days’ notice.
The Standard Media Group was sued by Criticos in 2011 for a piece that the latter had published.
The publication claimed in court filings that Criticos was blocked from selling his parents’ house and that his niece had falsely accused him of faking her grandmother’s signature to approve the transaction.
The article further claimed that the former lawmaker had sold his father’s assets without the approval of family members and that Criticos’ niece had secured an order prohibiting him from selling her grandmother’s Sh8 million house.
During the case hearing, Criticos informed the judge that since he was not named in the purported court order, no order had been issued against him.
The media outlet apologised and acknowledged publishing the piece.
Following this apology, Criticos filed and was successful in his claim.
