Journalists ‘beaten by GSU men’ in Tana River transferred to Mombasa for treatment
Nation journalist Nehemiah Okwemba at the Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa on Sunday April 19, 2015. He said one of the GSU officers told them they would killed them but their commander intervened and rescued them. PHOTO | GALGALO BOCHA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Nation journalist Nehemiah Okwemba and Citizen TV’s Rueben Ogachi, were reportedly beaten by the GSU officers for interviewing residents in Tana River County who had claimed to have been attacked by the same officers.
- During the incident, Mr Abaroba Barisa, the political advisor to the Tana River Governor Hussein Dado and a driver were also injured.
- Kenya Red Cross Society emergency ambulance driver, Mr Omar Said it took six hours to ferry the injured journalists and the two senior Tana River County officials from Galana ADC farm to Malindi Town.
- He said he had to drive with a lot of caution owing to the rough terrain and the status of the injured people.
Two journalists who were on Saturday allegedly beaten by General Service Unit (GSU) officers arrived in Mombasa Sunday morning from Tana River.
The two, Nation journalist Nehemiah Okwemba and Citizen TV’s Rueben Ogachi, were reportedly beaten by the GSU officers for interviewing residents in Tana River County who had claimed to have been attacked by the same officers.
The incident happened at Bombi in the outskirts of the Agricultural Development Cooperation’s (ADC) Kulalu Galana Ranch.
Speaking on arrival in Mombasa, Kenya Red Cross Society emergency ambulance driver, Mr Omar Said it took six hours to ferry the injured journalists and the two senior Tana River County officials from Galana ADC farm to Malindi Town.
A nurse at the Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa attends to Citizen TV cameraman Ruben Ogachi who sustained a fracture on his right leg. PHOTO | GALGALO BOCHA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
He said he had to drive with a lot of caution owing to the rough terrain and the status of the injured people.
“It was also raining and the road was a bit slippery,” said Mr Said.
NTV camera Nehemia Okwemba narrated his ordeal on arrival at the Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa.
He said the GSU officers only stopped beating them after the intervention of their boss. He said one GSU officer told them they would have killed them when their commander intervened and rescued them.
Mombasa Nation office team led by Regional Editor Njeri Rugene receives the injured journalists who arrived Sunday morning at the Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa after eight hours drive from Galana ADC ranch in Tana River. PHOTO | GALGALO BOCHA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Mr Okwemba added that they were attacked before disembarking from their vehicle within the ADC ranch which is located along the border of Tana River and Kilifi counties.
During the incident, Mr Abaroba Barisa, the political advisor to the Tana River Governor Hussein Dado and a driver were also injured.
The journalists said that they had gone to interview residents who claimed that GSU officers drove away 200 of their cattle for allegedly trespassing into the expansive Galana ranch on Friday.
“We had gone to interview the management to get their side of the story because the herders had told us the GSU who were manning the farm had taken away their animals,” Mr Okwemba said.
