The Employment and Labour Court (ELC) has ordered Standard Group (SG) to pay its former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Orlando Lyomu, Ksh 33,835,202.
The amount is a remainder of an initial Ksh 38,342, 857 ruling issued in October 2024.
In a ruling delivered on April 9, Judge Stella Rutto directed the Mombasa-based media house to settle the amount in twelve (12) equal consecutive instalments, with the first payment due on or before May 5, 2025.
“That the respondent pays the balance of the judgment amount in twelve (12) equal consecutive instalments, with the first instalment being payable on or before 5th May 2025. Subsequent instalments to be paid on or before the 5th day of every month until payment in full,” read the ruling in part.
The court further ordered that party-and-party costs amounting to Ksh 1,021,140 be paid in two equal consecutive instalments through the law firm of Nyachae & Ashitiva Advocates, with the first instalment also due on or before May 5, 2025.
Court Orders Standard Group to Pay Former CEO Ksh 33.8 M in 12 Months
In his affidavit, Lyomu argued that Standard Media had failed and/or refused to comply with the terms of the consent order, despite numerous requests from his advocates.
According to Lyomu, the media house had not provided any reasonable payment terms or instalment proposals for settling the consent amount.
He further stated that his salary arrears and accrued leave days, which were part of the judgment amount, had been unjustly withheld by the respondent for over a year.
“His salary arrears and accrued leave days comprised in the Judgment amount, have been unjustly withheld by the Respondent for over a year, leaving him with no other means to support his family and, as a consequence, they have suffered and continue to suffer adversely and are deprived of basic needs, including food, school fees, medical care and clothing,” read part of the court documents.
Lyomu also pointed out that, as of 1st August 2024, the amount due should have been Ksh 5,250,000, but only Ksh 4,507,655 had been paid by the respondent, leaving a deficit of Ksh 742,345 as of 3rd March 2025.
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SG Ordered to Pay Orlando Ksh 38 Million in October 2024 Ruling
This follows an earlier court order issued on October 16, 2024, directing the media house to pay Ksh38,342,857 in monthly instalments of Ksh750,000, along with Ksh1,021,140 in legal costs within three months.
The media house was further ordered to pay Orlando the sum of Ksh 1.5 million on or before 23rd December 2024, and another sum of Ksh 1.5 million on or before 31st December 2024.
Thereafter, the SG was to regularise the payment of the monthly instalments as and when they fall due.
The matter came up for mention on 19th November 2024 and 18th December 2024, during which Orlando informed the Court that the SG had not honoured the terms of the consent order regarding the payment of monthly instalments.
He stated that Standard Group had only paid Ksh 4,507,655.10 by 4th February 2025, leaving an unpaid balance of Ksh 33,835,202.
Orlando demanded that SG settle the remaining balance of Ksh 33,835,202 in one lump sum within 21 days from the date of the court’s order.
However, as an alternative, the court allows the media house to pay the amount in six equal monthly instalments of Ksh 5,639,201 each, starting 5th March 2025, with each payment due by the 5th of every month until the entire amount is cleared.
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Court Dismisses Argument by the Media House
SG’s counsel stated that, due to harsh economic conditions, the media house was keen on settling the decretal amount in instalments.
However, the court argued that there was no “tangible evidence to guide the Court in determining what would be reasonably payable in instalments.
Orlando Lyomu was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Standard Group in May 2018, succeeding Sam Shollei, who had resigned in August 2017.
Lyomu stepped down from the role in June 2023, after five years at the helm, amid a persistent cash crunch that has continued to trouble the media house.
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