Boinnet takes action after 2 NMG journalists were beaten

juma chrispinus

August 17, 2018 10:26 AM

They were exposing a hotel which is being build on riparian land.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet on Friday ordered a probe into alleged harassment of two Nation Media Group journalists in Shanzu, Mombasa County.

The two journalists - Cameraman Karim Rajan and photojournalist Laban Walloga – who were arrested at around 2.30 pm on Thursday, were on a mission to expose a scheme by a private developer who had encroached on public land.

Also, their colleague, Mohammed Ahmed, who is a Daily Nation scribe, was assaulted by the police who were manning the construction site.

The journalists were taken to Bamburi police station for taking photos and recordings of the construction of Dolphin Hotel, which is said to be on Indian Ocean’s riparian land.

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Roughed up

On Thursday, NTV said via Twitter that the two were earlier roughed up by workers at the site of the multi-billion shilling establishment in Shanzu.

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The station said the hotel is reportedly owned by a top government official and blocks the beach, sources said. The site borders the luxurious Flamingo By PrideInn Hotel.

It was said that Rajan and Wallogo had been with two of their colleagues who escaped arrest by hiding.

"They are still in custody. I don't understand why they have to be punished for doing their jobs," Ahmed said.

Human rights groups have called for the unconditional release of the two.

“Haki Africa wishes to categorically state that there is no private beach in Kenya. We demand the immediate, unconditional release of the two and subsequent arrest of those behind the journalists’ ordeal,” executive director Hussein Khalid said in a statement sent to the press on Thursday.

Kenya Editor’s Guild chairman Churchill Otieno condemned the harassment of journalists via a press release.

juma chrispinus