Police and IPOA are investigating Citizen TV journalist Francis Odee’s arrest in Nairobi.
Police and IPOA are investigating the Citizen TV journalist’s arrest while he covered protests against rising fuel prices in Nairobi.
The National Police Service has launched an internal investigation into the Francis Odee arrest during fuel-price protests in Nairobi. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is also conducting a separate inquiry into the Citizen TV journalist’s detention.
Police announced the investigation on October 22, two days after officers arrested Odee along Kimathi Street. He was covering demonstrations in Nairobi’s Central Business District when the incident occurred.
Police investigate Francis Odee arrest
In a statement, the service said its Internal Affairs Unit began investigating after receiving a report. The inquiry seeks to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident.
Police also pledged to take transparent and accountable action within the law, guided by the findings. Meanwhile, IPOA’s separate investigation follows a formal complaint from Odee about his arrest and alleged mistreatment.
The oversight authority is expected to examine the conduct of the officers involved. Its inquiry will also assess whether the arrest complied with the law and established policing procedures.
Journalist alleges mistreatment during detention
Activists organised the October 20 demonstrations to demand relief from rising fuel prices. The protests followed the latest price increase announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Accounts of the incident describe plainclothes officers apprehending Odee despite objections from journalists and members of the public. Those present identified him as a journalist carrying out an assignment.
Odee said he repeatedly identified himself as a media worker, but officers proceeded with the arrest. He also alleged that officers roughed him up before taking him to Central Police Station.
Police briefly detained him there and later released him without charges. In recounting the incident, Odee described fearing for his safety while in custody.
He linked those fears to cases he had previously reported involving people detained at the same station.
Media groups call for accountability
The Kenya Editors Guild and the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya have called for accountability over Odee’s treatment. Their concerns centre on journalists’ ability to report on public events safely.
The groups maintain that journalists should carry out their professional duties without violence or intimidation. Both police inquiries will examine the circumstances of Odee’s arrest and detention.
