NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 5 – The High Court has ordered that three separate appeals relating to the payout to 629 former Standard Chartered Bank employees be heard together, even as it deferred a ruling on the contentious issue of interest accumulation pending further directions.
The Court ruled that all matters will proceed jointly but separately taking into account that each case raises distinct issues.
A single judge will be assigned to preside over the consolidated cases, with a directions mention scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
The court further directed that the ongoing verification exercise of claimants continue, but that no payments be made until the next mention date.
The judges also noted that while Standard Chartered Kenya had expressed readiness to pay interest accrued up to September 30, 2025, the question of freezing further interest will be determined during the October 8 mention before the new judge.
Standard Chartered had submitted its request to proceed with implementation of the payout and to halt the accrual of additional interest beyond the September 30 deadline.
Engagements have also continued between the bank’s top leadership including its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Pensions Chair, and Head of Human Resources and officials at the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) as part of the compliance process.
This development follows a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, which dismissed the bank’s appeal and affirmed the Retirement Benefits Appeals Tribunal’s directive requiring the lender to refund Sh1.1 billion and recalculate pension entitlements and arrears.
In response, Standard Chartered stated that it was putting in place “a structured process to execute the judgment while respecting legal protocols,” assuring stakeholders of its financial stability and commitment to lawful implementation.
However, the payout process has been marred by fresh complications after the High Court temporarily halted a Sh7 billion pension disbursement pending the resolution of a dispute over legal costs.
At the same time, the bank has begun collecting claimant data and processing documents in line with the court’s verification directive.
“We remain committed to executing the judgment in accordance with legal requirements,” Standard Chartered said in a statement.
“Our priority is to ensure that the implementation process is transparent and fair to all affected parties.”
The former employees, some of whom have waited years for compensation, now look to the October 8 mention date for clarity on the fate of their long-delayed payments and the pending question of interest.
