Kenyan media house, NTV has confirmed the arrest of Kenneth Ruto, a journalist under the Nation Media Group(NMG), by the Baringo county detectives.
The local media house reported that Kenneth Ruto has been in police custody since 9 am Wednesday, November 1 after being verbally summoned by the county sleuths over the coverage of a bandit attack at Kapindasum Primary School in Baringo South on 24th October 2023.
Kenneth Ruto was verbally summoned to the County Criminal Investigations Officers (CCIO) office on 30th October, requiring him to present himself on 1st November 2023.
Currently, he is at Kabarnet Police Station, accompanied by members of the Baringo Journalists Association and Civil Society groups from the region.
Nation Media Group noted that their legal department is yet to receive written summons from the police as per official procedure.
Additionally, NMG stated that when journalists from Baringo accompanied their colleague to the CCIO’s office in Kabarnet, the lead detective was categorical that they would not divulge why they summoned Ruto and ordered them out.
Moreover, the coverage by the journalist and other media houses noted that gunmen staged an attack at Kapindasum Primary School and a neighboring General Service Unit (GSU) camp in Baringo South.
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The GSU Camp Incident in Question
As a result, a fierce shootout ensued when the GSU officers encountered the armed criminals while on a routine patrol.
Further, the bandits advanced to the primary school and surrounded a neighboring GSU camp leading to a six-hour shootout before the criminals were repulsed.
The attack forced teachers and learners to take cover, lying on classroom floors as gunshots rent the air.
Human Rights Defenders Condemn Journalist’s Arrest
On the issue of the arrest, Defenders Coalition, a national organization that works primarily for the protection of human rights defenders in Kenya, condemned the arrest.
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Moreover, they noted that it was unfortunate that the arrest had occurred on the eve of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalist which is celebrated on November 2nd.
“Defenders Kenya is deeply concerned that on the eve of the celebration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, our media is under serious affront.
We condemn the arrest of NTV journalist Kenneth Ruto this morning, 1 November 2023, and is being detained at Kapsabet Police Station,” the organization noted on their official X account.
