Standard’s Fake News Fail: False Report on Jowie’s Pardon Backfires, Story Pulled After Fact-Check

By James Wanyee

Nairobi, Kenya – May 28, 2025 – In a shocking display of journalistic malpractice, The Standard, one of Kenya’s oldest media houses, has been caught red-handed peddling fake news, further eroding its already shaky credibility.

The outlet published a sensational story claiming that Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, convicted for the brutal murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani, was among 57 prisoners pardoned by President William Ruto under the Power of Mercy Act.

The story, which was hastily posted on both their website and social media pages, was deleted just hours later after it was exposed as a fabrication—but not before it caused a firestorm of public outrage and cast further doubt on The Standard’s editorial integrity.

The Standard’s now-deleted post screamed, “Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, among 57 prisoners pardoned by President Ruto under Power of Mercy Act, he was sentenced to death in Feb 2024 for murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani.”

The accompanying article aimed to paint Ruto as a reckless leader willing to free a cold-blooded murderer, feeding into the outlet’s recent pattern of emotionally charged, anti-government rhetoric.

However, a closer look at the facts reveals that The Standard’s story was not just poorly researched—it was outright false.

Official records from the Power of Mercy Committee and the Kenya Gazette confirm that a Joseph Irungu was indeed among those pardoned by President Ruto.

However, this individual is not Joseph “Jowie” Irungu, the high-profile convict linked to Kimani’s murder.

The gazetted Irungu is a 62-year-old man from Nyeri, serving a reduced sentence for a non-violent theft conviction dating back to 2015.

Jowie, on the other hand, remains on death row at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, with no record of a pardon or commutation of his sentence.

The two men share a common name but are entirely unrelated in their crimes, backgrounds, and legal statuses.

Further scrutiny supports this conclusion.

Claims that President Ruto pardoned Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, for Monica Kimani’s murder is false.

The Kenya Gazette lists “Joseph Irungu Maina,” not Jowie’s full name, Joseph Irungu Kuria, and inmate details don’t match.

Jowie was convicted in 2024, while the pardoned individual’s timeline points to 2015.

Official records from May 2025 show 4,799 inmates pardoned, but no credible source confirms Jowie’s inclusion.

Public speculation likely stems from name similarities and the case’s high profile.

Jowie remains incarcerated.

The Standard’s rush to publish this story without verifying the identity of the pardoned Irungu exposes a deeper rot within the outlet’s newsroom—a reckless desperation to smear President Ruto at any cost.

For months, The Standard has been churning out negative publicity against the government, often relying on emotional narratives and shoddy reporting to stoke public anger.

This latest blunder suggests their editorial process prioritizes sensationalism over accuracy, especially when it comes to high-stakes stories that could damage Ruto’s reputation.

By falsely claiming that Ruto had freed a notorious murderer, The Standard hoped to ignite public fury and portray the president as soft on crime—a narrative that aligns with their ongoing anti-government crusade.

This isn’t just a case of sloppy journalism; it’s a deliberate attempt to manipulate public sentiment.

The Monica Kimani murder case gripped the nation, with Jowie’s conviction in February 2024 seen as a rare victory for justice in a country where high-profile criminals often evade accountability.

The Standard’s false claim that Ruto had pardoned Jowie was designed to provoke outrage and undermine the president’s credibility, especially at a time when Ruto’s administration is navigating tensions with political rivals like Gideon Moi who owns the media company.

The two leaders have been at odds, and The Standard, appears to be weaponizing its platform to settle political scores.

The fallout from this debacle has been swift and brutal.

On X, Kenyans called out The Standard for its dishonesty, with hashtags like #FakeNewsStandard and #StandardLies trending within hours of the post’s deletion.

“This is why we can’t trust mainstream media anymore,” one user wrote.

“The Standard didn’t even bother to check if it was the same Joseph Irungu. They just wanted to make Ruto look bad.”

Another added, “How many other stories have they lied about to push their agenda? This is embarrassing for a paper that claims to be a standard-bearer.”

The Standard’s actions are a disgrace to journalism.

A newsroom with its legacy should be a beacon of truth, not a factory for propaganda.

By rushing to publish an unverified story, The Standard has not only damaged its own reputation but also cast doubt on the authenticity of its broader body of work.

Their pattern of emotionally charged, poorly researched stories—often aimed at painting the government in a negative light—shows a blatant disregard for journalistic ethics.

If The Standard is willing to fabricate a story this inflammatory, what else have they gotten wrong in their relentless campaign against Ruto?

The Standard owes the public an apology, but more than that, it needs a complete overhaul of its editorial standards.

Kenyans deserve better than a media house that prioritizes political vendettas over facts.

Until The Standard cleans up its act, it will remain a cautionary tale of what happens when journalism abandons integrity for sensationalism. Shame on them.

The writer is a media critic based in Nairobi.

Note: The opinions expressed are those of the author and not of Kenya Insights.