The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
On June 4, eight suspects were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi after failing to pay a Sh4.4 million hotel bill.
According to reports, one of the accused, Caroline Muthoni is claimed to have invited her friends for a week-long to wining and dining at the luxurious at Clarence House Hotel in Westlands, claiming she had won an international award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Alongside her friends Victor Oduor, Jackline Wanjiru, Marylynne Chege, Grace Wanjiru, Natasha Wanjiru, Alvin Onyango and Julius Mwangi, Caroline is said to have checked into the hotel on May 22.
The week-long celebrations were supposed to last till May 30, 2019.
Unpaid bill
After festivities and merry making at the hotel that lasted for six days, the management smelled a rat and demanded for payment from the group.
Their unwillingness to offset the outstanding bill prompted the management to detain them before handing the over to the police.
The eight suspects were charged with intent to defraud the hotel with six of opting for an out-of-court settlement with the hotel.
“With intend to defraud Clarence House Hotel, accused persons caused to be issued with services worth the said monies by falsely pretending they were in a position to pay, a fact they knew to be false,” the prosecution told the court.
While four of the accused gave the hotel the full Sh100,000 each, Victor Omondi and Alvin Onyango placed their Toyota Mark X as security pending payment of their debt.
Julius Mwangi deposited Sh50,000 and offered a motorbike as security until he offsets the remaining Sh50,000.
Caroline Muthoni, the brains behind the merrymaking was released on Sh500,000 cash bail with an alternative bond of a similar account.
If Julius would have settled his debt with the hotel during the case’s mention in two weeks, Caroline might be charged alone.
