Catherine Wanjeri, a reporter for Nakuru Kameme TV, who was shot four times during July’s anti-government protests, is now facing threats to her life from unknown sources.
Wanjeri disclosed that she has been receiving menacing phone calls from individuals pretending to be investigators related to her shooting.
Initially, she answered these calls but eventually stopped responding to unfamiliar numbers as the threats intensified.
One caller, who claimed to be acquainted with the police officer responsible for the shooting, warned her not to disclose their conversation to anyone.
Wanjeri reported these threats to the Nakuru Central Police Station, expressing concerns that her movements were being monitored by these unknown individuals, especially when she traveled to Nakuru for medical treatment.
She recounted an incident where a caller requested a meeting to provide information about her shooter.
Wanjeri advised the caller to communicate with the police directly, as it could assist with the investigation.
On July 16, Wanjeri was hit by four rubber bullets in her thigh while covering the protests in Nakuru’s Central Business District.
She was hospitalized at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital Annex for the removal of the bullets.
A complaint was filed regarding the police brutality she faced, which was later forwarded to the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA).
However, nearly two months have passed without any arrest related to the incident.
Wanjeri expressed her fear of abandoning the case due to safety concerns for herself and her family.
Despite these fears, she has found support from the Nakuru Journalists’ Association (NJA) and fellow journalists nationwide.
She also shared with her doctor at the hospital that she felt closely monitored by unidentified individuals, noting that cars parked at the hospital would only leave when she did.
Joseph Openda, chairperson of the Nakuru Journalists’ Association, questioned why the officer responsible for Wanjeri’s shooting had not been apprehended or charged yet.
He expressed concern that the officer could still be on duty, armed, and posing a threat to Wanjeri and others.
According to IPOA, the case is awaiting a second report from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations before it is forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for further action.
Wanjeri, who was visibly marked as press during the protests, recounted her experience, mentioning a pre-shooting phone call from her mother advising caution.
She described the moments leading up to her shooting, including being struck by a tear gas canister and offering toothpaste to a police officer in an attempt to alleviate the effects of the gas.
Her ordeal culminated when she was shot in the thigh by an officer in a police vehicle, despite her attempts to assist and protect herself during the chaotic situation.
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