The nocturnal raid on The Standard Group’s premises by armed and hooded Government security agents three years ago continues to disturb the nation’s conscience.

Despite its vile and criminal nature, the Government has not divulged why it was ordered. Environment Minister John Michuki, then Internal Security Minister, who sanctioned the attack, now hides behind the official secret excuse to muzzle the truth.

We have asked to be told our ‘crime’, and even dared the authorities to let the law take its course. But the response has been dead silence.

This week, the minister who violated our right to legitimate business called the action ‘official secret’.

"There’s no obligation on the Government or its agencies to give reasons it conducted the raid on the Standard and KTN on national interest," said Michuki.

Instead of confronting the truth, the likes of Michuki have wished it away. But like mice buried in a corner of the farm, debate on the justification for such unlawful act has always sprouted in another.

The media raid, which desecrated our democratic terrain, won Kenya international condemnation, and soiled the image of this Government, has defied the test of time. Once forgotten, it rebounds to test our conscience and draw attention to itself.

Like a sore thumb, it has continued to stick out, along with its disturbing pain, on the face of this administration. Though it is President Kibaki’s second term, the key players in Cabinet and security agencies remain the same.

Ironically, which is a pyrrhic victory of history, the raid was recorded for posterity by CCTV cameras the raiders thought they had immobilised. It captured them ransacking, harassing and stealing from our staff.

Michuki was revisiting the raid as he pushed for legal action against former Kabete MP Paul Muite, who last month revealed the minister told his parliamentary committee it was believed our paper and station were about to broadcast a sensitive story on the President and his family.

Other than the fact that we were the raid’s victims and Muite made the statement during our Group’s live event, we have nothing to do with Michuki and the former MP’s clash. We would not, however, hesitate to defend Muite’s freedom of speech and association.

By defending the raid, does Michuki imply the burning of our newspapers, confiscation of our vehicles, cannibalisation of our broadcast facilities, stealing and harassment of our staff, and flagrant trespass were lawful?

Is he saying this Government sanctions impunity, abuse of law? Could this be why the country is crying about wanton police killings, a governance paralysis and a moral crisis at the top?

No, this minister is wrong and should be exposed he too must bow before our laws if he expects the nation to do the same. The silence of his boss, as Michuki ran amok, again speaks volumes about his position.

But even in most desperate times, we must remind Michuki and company of the teaching of the icon of anti-violence movement Mahatma Gandhi: "There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts."

And as Dr Martin Luther King Jnr said: "No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."