The Standard Group PLC’s Chief of Staff and news anchor Laban Cliff Onserio has been arrested and arraigned in court.

Onserio was arrested Sunday allegedly for possession of and threatening members of the public with a stun grenade.

The incident happened at the second basement parking of the Holy Family Basilica Church in Nairobi.

According to the police report, Onserio is said to have failed to declare to the security personnel at the establishment that he was in possession of the stun grenade.

"He had not made a declaration to the security guards that he was in possession of the Flashbang training system grenade," the report read.

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The security personnel at the church alerted the authorities about the incident and a multi-agency Anti-Terror Police Unit team was deployed to the scene immediately.


Onserio was arrested and arraigned at the Kahawa law Court on Monday Upon interrogation after failing to provide any certification to support his possession of the stun grenade.

"The respondent was arrested by a multi-agency team who responded at the scene after receiving information about a terror threat,” the court documents read.


The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) accused the journalist of obtaining the stun grenade from a British national in 2021 for unknown reasons.

Onserio is also suspected of having more than one explosive device and having other associates.

Holy Family Basilica

The stun grenade was seized from Onserio and forwarded to the Bomb Disposal and Hazardous Unit for forensic examination and analysis.

His mobile handset was also confiscated and taken to the ICT for further investigations to establish if there were any links to terrorist activities.

The Standard Group has issued a statement acknowledging the arrest of Onserio.

“The Standard Group PLC (“the Company”) has received information about the arrest of Mr. Laban Cliff Onserio, the Company’s Chief of Staff and Anchor. According to court documents filed in court, Mr. Onserio was arrested in Nairobi CBD on Sunday,18th December 2022, by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, following an incident,” the statement read.

“The police have sought to hold Mr. Onserio in their custody pending further investigations. The Company await the outcome of the investigation and will stand by the due process of the law.”

The Standard Group emphasised its commitment to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment and its stakeholders across its premises.


The company said it is waiting for the investigation’s outcome and pledged to abide by the law.

“The Company remains committed in maintaining a safe and secure environment for all its stakeholders in all its premises. The Company awaits the outcome of the investigations and will abide by the due process of the law.” the statement read.