Freedom of the press came into sharp focus after journalists who were following up a story at the Tigoni police station in Limuru were locked in the police station compound for three hours.
The two journalists working with QTV, Abraham Gatheca and Alex Kiarie, were following up on a story where the police officers from the said station allegedly destroyed personal property of an innovator who had come to seek a licence from the station to operate a homemade security gadget.
The officers were reported to have allegedly burnt to ashes the homemade security gadget made by a local from Limuru. The gadget would be used to detect criminals unawares if they dared to break in to a home.
The police allegedly burnt the gadget citing it a security threat. Mr Gatheca, the cameraman, said they were sent by the QTV Nairobi office to follow up on the story when they were forcefully held at the police station.
“We arrived here at the police station at about 4pm on Tuesday and the gate was closed once the officers saw us with a video camera and learnt we were following up on the story of destroyed personal property,” said Mr Gatheca.
Mr Gatheca said they were released at around 6.30pm after recording a statement at the station.
“We wrote the statement under the supervision of the flying squad officers since the police officers who had refused us to leave the station were no where to be found,” said Mr Gatheca.