Veteran film producers Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson have won a legal battle against Standard Group PLC over unpaid fees for two television shows aired on KTN.

The Milimani Commercial Magistrate’s Court has ordered Standard Group, the parent company of KTN, to pay KSh13.5 million in outstanding licence fees for the programmes Junior and My Two Wives.

Senior Principal Magistrate A. Nyoike also awarded interest on the amount at court rates from the date the case was filed until full settlement, in addition to legal costs.

The dispute arose from agreements between Ivory Media, associated with Kahaki and Bresson, and Standard Group for the supply of the two programmes between 2020 and 2021.

According to Ivory Media, it delivered the agreed content and the programmes were subsequently broadcast on KTN. However, the producers said the broadcaster failed to settle the full licence fees owed under the agreements.

Standard Group disputed the agreements and the amount claimed. However, the court relied on correspondence from the company’s finance department acknowledging the outstanding debt, alongside payment records and account reconciliations presented during the proceedings.

The court consequently found Standard Group liable for the unpaid licence fees and ordered it to pay the KSh13.5 million together with the applicable interest and legal costs.

However, the magistrate declined to award the general damages sought by the producers.

The ruling brings to an end the dispute over payments for the two KTN programmes, with Standard Group now required to settle the amount awarded by the court.