Reprieve for Siaya Journalist who was attacked by colleagues as police make arrests

A last week’s viral video of Josiah Odanga- The Star Newspaper Reporter who was attacked and injured by colleagues seem to bear fruit.

In the video, Odanga lamented how those who had attacked him were still walking free despite the matter being reported.

True to his words, Monday March 11, 2024 in the evening and the two Journalists who attacked him were arrested.

It is reported that the Siaya based duo who attacked Odanga on January 20, 2024 had evaded police for two days.

By Saturday evening, the police phoned the duo and requested them to go t the Yala Police Station but they had not done so by the time of their arrest.

George Amolo of Ramogi FM and Mary Gorety Juma of K24 were arrested on Monday evening at the Siaya County’s Information office while they were on with their work of writing and voicing stories.

This ironical as in the press statement of January 25, 2024, the MCK announced that it had suspended the accreditations (licence to practice) of Amolo, Odanga, and Gorety.

Confirming the incident, Siaya County Police Commander Cleti Kimaiyo said that the file had been returned from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) recommending that they (Amolo and Gorety) be charged.

The duo Amolo and Gorety are accused of having attacked Josiah Odanga of The Star newspaper while at a bursary forms filling and distribution event at Karariw Primary School in Gem constituency on January 20, 2024.

Last week, a video of Odanga circulated on social media, where he asked the ODPP to “hasten the case and allow justice to take its natural course”.

In the video, Odanga revealed that he had since been suspended by his employer owing to what he explained was as a result of ” two misleading press statements by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK)”

On January 23rd and 25th this year, the MCK gave a blanket condemnation of Amolo, Gorety and Odanga saying that it was unacceptable for Journalists to fight in public.

The blanket condemnation included Odanga.

The MCK further said that it had established that the trio were “fighting over handouts”.

A statement that Odanga strongly differed with adding that he was the one attacked but ironically he was suspended from duty while the attackers were walking free and going on with their duties.