The four arrested Kenyan filmmakers linked to the 'Blood Parliament' documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) have been released.
Nicholas Gichuki, Brian Adagala, MarkDenver Karubiu, and Chris Wamae were released from Pangani and Muthaiga police stations on Saturday, May 3, on free bond.
The latest development was confirmed by lawyer Ian Mutiso, who has spearheaded the calls for their release since yesterday. The four had spent the night in the station's cells.
This was after their arrest by police during a raid at their Karen studios under dubious circumstances. During their arrest, police confiscated their equipment and hard drives. Reports at the time of their arrest indicated that the four were not charged, and their presence under police custody remained unclear.
However, fresh reports indicated that the four were charged with false publication in relation to the BBC documentary and were made to give statements without legal representation.
Speaking to the press after their release, lawyer Ian Mutiso seemingly intimated that the arrests were being conducted by senior figures at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
"When I spoke to the DCIO for Pangani he gave me some very concerning information stating that this matter was not under his purview. He informed me that this was being conducted from DCI headquarters and this is something I will follow up," he expressed.
The documentary exposed the roles of the National Police Service and the Kenya Defence Forces in some of the killings witnessed during the Gen Z-led protests of June 25, 2024.
In some of the clips shown, two members of the NPS and KDF were seen to be intentionally shooting at the peaceful protestors, leading to their demise.
In the aftermath of their arrests, a multitude of netizens including politicians expressed their displeasure and frustration at their detainment with many believing their involvement in the damning expose was the sole reason behind their detainment.
Many opined that this was a bad move, accusing the government of wanting to go back to the days of abductions and enforced disappearances that led to protests in many parts of the country.
The BBC have waded into the matter, issuing a statement as they aimed to clear the air on the alleged involvement of the four filmmakers in their project.
Here is the Statement: “We have been made aware of the arrest of four journalists in Kenya. To confirm, they were not involved in any way in the making of BBC Africa Eye’s Blood Parliament documentary.”
