The National Police Service (NPS) has debunked rumors circulating on social media claiming that seven police officers were killed in Haiti.
NPS flagged a video where TikTok user @princenafmchelsea posted a collection of photos with the caption “7 Kenyan Police reported dead in Haiti, aki (Please) Ruto God will never forgive you.”
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In a post via their official X account, NPS attached a screenshot of the clip with a FAKE stamp on it to inform the public that the allegations made in the video were false.
The Inspector General of Police (IG) Japheth Koome stated that the officers were received well by the Haitians, they are safe and ready to discharge their duty.
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“The attention of this office has been drawn to the unfounded, false, unpatriotic, and malicious claims circulating on social media that seven National Police Service Officers have been killed in Haiti,” read part of NPS statement.
“We wish to clarify to the public that our Officers left Kenya on June 24, 2024, and were not only received warmly by the great people of Haiti on arrival but are also all safe and ready to discharge their clear and specific mandate.”
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About the Fake Video Flagged by NPS
The video has since garnered 359.3K views, over 15K likes, over 2,400 comments and 1,314 shares.
Despite no sources confirming the video’s authenticity, many users in the TikTok comment section believed the reports were true with some praying to God to protect them.
Some recalculated the number of those who had survived, totaling it to 393 from the initial 400.
Smith Johnson a TikTok user posted, “Wakuje wote kwa masaduku, (Let all of them come in caskets) How about our brothers and kids who were killed at parliament. They died at the hands of the police. We don’t have problems with Haiti. Kenya police are the ones with problems with Haiti.”
“What? So soon?? God, why! We are trying to fix issues here in Kenya, and now this. Bring our police back, Mr. President,” posted Betty Jack.
The information quickly spread on X platform, with user JaokoJohnmark stating, “7 Kenya police officers killed yesterday in Haiti. ‘Ruto Must Go.'”
However, users on both Tiktok and X platforms doubted the authenticity of the information, condemning them for spreading misinformation.
Also Read: Haiti Prime Minister Reveals Kenyan Police Battle Plan Against Gangs
One user, Phelix commented, “Bro why are you spreading rumors? Death is not something to be joked about. Wait until it hits your own family.”
“No one has died they are all alive and they will not die in Jesus’ name. Be strong guys one team one fight,” Geofrrey Chumo replied to the video.
Timothy Mutai1 questioned why a Kenyan could wish a fellow country Man bad things. “We have differences here at home but that doesn’t make us enemies,” he said.
Police Deployed in Haiti
This comes after the first contingent of 400 troops of Kenyan police arrived in the Haitian capital on Tuesday, June 25.
Also Read: Salaries & Benefits for 3 Kenyan Police Commanders Leading Haiti Mission
However, Haiti gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue vowed to fight the Kenya police officers deployed in the Carribean nation to death.
In a viral video shared on Wednesday, June 26, the gang leader could be heard rallying his members, urging them to open fire on the Kenyan contingent who were patrolling the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
Babercue termed the Kenyan Police who were manning the City’s capital as invaders.
“I don’t care if they are white or black. If they’re not Haitian and they’re on Haitian soil, they’re invaders,” Barbecue stated.
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