Reporter claims assault by goons linked to county official over corruption story

Journalist Habil Onyango (center) was addressing journalists at Homa Bay Town. (James Omoro, Standard)

A journalist wants police to take action against a senior female official of the Homa Bay County government and the goons she allegedly hired to assault him.

Habil Onyango, a correspondent attached to Media Max and based in Homa Bay County, is currently nursing injuries after the goons assaulted him on Sunday evening.

Onyango sustained serious injuries to the head, cheeks, jaws, and ribs as a result of the attack.
The journalist said the official was angered by a story he published exposing corruption allegations against her. The story accused her of allegedly conning residents by soliciting bribes in exchange for job opportunities.

On Sunday evening, he claimed, the official used her agents to call him for a meeting at a location in Homa Bay Town. When Onyango arrived, the official and her goons ordered him to write another story negating the previous one and publish it within 20 minutes.

He told them it was not possible to publish a counter-story within such a short deadline.
The official then instructed the goons to force Onyango into a vehicle, in which they abducted him for several hours.

The goons drove to various parts of Homa Bay Town and later dropped him at a hotel in Got Rabuor Estate. During the abduction, they assaulted Onyango, causing the injuries.

“They forced me into the vehicle, where they kept assaulting me as they drove through various sections of Homa Bay Town,” Onyango said.

“They forced me to smoke bhang. I cannot eat anything because they injured my jaws,” Onyango said.
Onyango recorded a statement at Homa Bay Police Station, where he said he knew the people who assaulted him.

“I know all the four people who were present at the scene.

‘‘The assailants were taking instructions from the female county official,” Onyango added.

Homa Bay Police Commander Lawrence Koilem said investigations into the incident had begun.
“Investigations are ongoing, and the file will be taken to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to give direction on the charges,” Koilem said.

The Chief Executive Officer OF Journalists for Human Rights, William Ayoko condemned the attack.

Ayoko said action should be taken against the county official and the goons she hired.

“Let the law enforcement agencies take this matter serious and provide the journalist with justice,” Ayoko said.

He urged people aggrieved with media reports to use legal means to seek redress instead of resorting to violence.

“The county government official had the right to seek legal redress if she thought the news story was defamatory. It is wrong to assault a journalist,” Ayoko said.

He also called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to intervene into the matter.