Four journalists arrested over ex-MP Fungaroo's detention story

Four journalists operating in Obongi District were arrested by the police on Tuesday for yet unknown reasons.

The four include; Mr Scovin Iceta of Daily Monitor and NTV, Mr Ronald Debo of TBS FM, Mr Stephen Onzimai and Mr Mustafa Safi of Voice of Madi FM.

“They have confined us in a small room. They have left us with all our gadgets but we are being guarded by the police and the army here at Obongi CPS,” Mr Iceta told this reporter on phone.

This follows the arrest of Mr Hassan Kaps Fungaroo, the former MP for Obongi County, on Monday and is still being detained at Obongi Central Police Station.

The journalists were arrested when they went to the police station to follow up on the arrest of Mr Fungaroo who was picked up by the security forces as he had gone for a funeral in the area. The charges he is facing remain unknown.

The North Western Police spokesperson, Mr Ignatius Dragudu said he had talked to the regional police commander about the release of the journalists.

“I told them to release the journalists and do their work, I don’t know why journalists should be arrested when they are doing their work,” he wondered, adding: “I have quickly called the Regional police commander to inform him about the arrest of the four journalists. We are going to talk to the district police commander of Obongi to release them. It is not proper to arrest a journalist while in the line of duty.”

By press time, neither had they been released nor recorded statements.

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