The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has clarified that four Kenyan filmmakers recently arrested in connection with the Blood Parliament documentary are not employees of the organization, nor were they involved in the production of the investigative piece.
In a statement issued by the BBC Press Office, the broadcaster distanced itself from the individuals, stating:
“We have been made aware of the arrest of four journalists in Kenya. To confirm, they were not involved in any way in the making of BBC Africa Eye’s Blood Parliament documentary.”
Media reports had widely circulated suggesting that the four filmmakers—Nicholas Wambugu Gichuki, Brian Adagala, Mark Denver Karubiu, and Christopher Wamae—had played a role in producing the explosive documentary. The group was arrested Friday night at a studio in Karen.
They were released on free bond Saturday morning from Pangani Police Station. However, police continue to hold their equipment and data storage devices.
In a separate development, Dennis Itumbi, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, criticized NTV for issuing what he called a misleading “Breaking News” alert implicating the filmmakers in the BBC documentary.
“This incident reaffirms a disturbing truth: major newsrooms can—and do—mislead the nation with unchecked, sensational claims,” Itumbi wrote in a strongly worded statement.
“Journalism’s first commandment? VERIFY. Double-check. Triple-check. Then doubt it—and verify again. Misinformation won’t make you the home of scoops. It makes you the source of shame.”
The BBC’s Blood Parliament documentary has drawn considerable attention for its revelations, but the broadcaster has firmly denied any association between the arrested individuals and the production team.
