Police Officers Guarding Royal Media Services Withdrawn

Police officers guarding the Royal Media Services (RMS) have been withdrawn.

This follows a wrangle pitying the media house and the National Police Service (NPS) over a recent guns galore exposé.

This comes barely a day after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) criticised the media house for airing the ‘Guns Galore’ story that they claim was meant to undermine the police service.

In the exposé, Mwambia demonstrated how it was easy to acquire handcuffs for as little as Ksh1,000 while guns cost up to Ksh50,000.

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 “Based on the Code of Conduct for Journalists and the Mass Media, the report, therefore, failed basic tests of journalistic ethics and standards and was slanted in what seemed to be a deliberate, malicious attempt to discredit and humiliate the National Police Service. We can only conclude, therefore, that this is also aimed at creating public pandemonium over the management of the security sector. It was not only false but injurious to the stability of the country,” said DCI boss George Kinoti.

The Media Council of Kenya has faulted Kinoti for summoning Royal Media Services editorial bosses to record a statement over the same.

“While the Council recognizes the role of the DCI, it expects that the process is geared towards investigating the matter and not violating freedom of expression, press freedom and access to information as provided in the Constitution in articles 33, 34, 35 and the Media Council Act 2013,” Said David Omwoyo

“In this case where the media has exposed weaknesses among some elements in the National Police Service, natural justice demands the same Service cannot then purport to investigate or otherwise summon the journalists. Instead, efforts should be put toward finding out how their members are providing civilians with guns, bullets, uniforms and handcuffs.”