GSU officers who beat journalists were filmed

Video footage allegedly showing General Service Unit officers assaulting journalists and Tana River County workers at a ranch in Galana has emerged.

The footage was recorded by one of the video cameras that NTV’s Nehemiah Okwemba and Citizen TV’s Reuben Ogachi dropped while being hit with rungus on April 18.

One of the GSU officers further unwittingly recorded his rogue colleagues after grabbing the rolling camera from the ground with its lens pointing in their direction.

Other victims were the Tana River governor’s political adviser, Mr Abaroba Barisa, county information officer Ali Wario and driver Abdi Elema.

The officers were caught on camera assaulting Mr Elema, who was in the driver’s seat, as they tried to drag him out of the vehicle, all the time raining blows on him. His fastened his safety belt only served to worsen his misery.

The officers are then heard shouting, “Toka nje, toka njee (get out, get out!) lala hapa (lie down)” as they beat the driver and others in the vehicle.

The footage contrasts sharply with statements by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Inspector-General of Kenya Police Service Joseph Boinnet, portraying the journalists as the antagonists.

Mr Boinnet said a group armed with clubs and machetes tried to force its way into the farm but were repelled by the officers, while Mr Nkaissery said the officers had reacted to intelligence reports that the Mombasa Republican Council was set to attack them.

The GSU officers were overheard in the footage referring to Mr Okwemba and Mr Ogachi as journalists “who were sent to the farm to finish us”.