(NDIMA/IFEX) – “The Star” newspaper editor Magayu Magayu and managing director of Star Publishers Limited Francis Mathenge Wanderi were arraigned in a Nairobi court on 29 June 1998 and charged with publishing an “alarming” publication. The editors also face two other charges of failing to execute bonds for printing and publishing. They denied all the […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – “The Star” newspaper editor Magayu Magayu and managing
director of Star Publishers Limited Francis Mathenge Wanderi were arraigned
in a Nairobi court on 29 June 1998 and charged with publishing an “alarming”
publication. The editors also face two other charges of failing to execute
bonds for printing and publishing. They denied all the counts through their
lawyer, James Orengo, before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Omondi Tunya.
In the first count, it is alleged that on or before 27 March 1998, at
Cannon House in Nairobi, they published an issue of the bi-weekly newspaper
with the headline, “How the coup was to be executed’, which was said to
cause fear and alarm among the public. The second count states that between
30 September 1997 and 19 June 1998, the two men printed “The Star” without
executing a printer’s bond. They are also alleged to have published the
newspaper between 4 April and 19 June 1998 without executing a publisher’s
bond.
Orengo urged the court to release them on personal bonds. The prosecution
did not oppose the plea. Judge Tunya granted them a Sh200,000 (roughly 3400
USD) bond each with sureties of a similar amount.
The case will be heard on 8 September.
In other news, on 28 June, free-lance photographer Raphael Munge was
assaulted
before being arrested by policemen. They were angered that he was taking
pictures of them as they arrested street vendors.
