The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
The four filmmakers arrested on Friday night in connection with the BBC’s Blood Parliament documentary have been released by the police without facing any charges.
Nicholas Wambugu Gichuki, Brian Adagala, Mark Karubiu, and Christopher Wamae were granted release on bond, though their equipment was confiscated, according to their lawyers.
The filmmakers were reportedly taken into custody from their studio in Karen, Nairobi. Activist Boniface Mwangi had earlier shared online that police seized their work equipment and hard drives during the raid.
Sources familiar with the case revealed that detectives had been investigating the filmmakers over the BBC documentary, but no formal charges have been brought against them yet.
The arrests followed the release of a 40-minute exposé by BBC Africa Eye, which accused Kenyan security forces of using live ammunition to suppress anti-tax protests outside Parliament during the June 2024 Gen Z protests. The documentary has sparked widespread outrage and brought international attention to allegations of extrajudicial killings.
In response, Director of Public Prosecutions Mulele Ingonga instructed the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the events surrounding the protests. He acknowledged the serious concerns raised by the documentary about the use of force, possible misconduct, and breaches of public order.
Legal experts are calling for a more extensive investigation, particularly as some of those involved may be military personnel, suggesting that IPOA’s mandate might not be sufficient. Nonetheless, the DPP underscored the need for an impartial and transparent investigation, stressing that the case is of significant public interest and ties into the country’s democratic principles.
