Royal Media reporter ‘summoned’ by Njuri Ncheke over MP assault story

Royal Media Services Reporter Koome Kimencu has spoken out following revelations that he was summoned by Njuri Ncheke council of elders, Igembe South sub-county branch, for publishing a story linking Kenya’s youngest MP John Paul Mwirigi to assault.

The summon, as seen by Citizen Digital, required Koome and two other individuals to appear before the elders on May 19, 2018 at 10:30am.

The two individuals are John Gikunda, who had accused Mwirigi of assault, and Japheth Mutuma Karuiru, who spoke to the press about the story.

The three were asked to bring with them their fathers, a witness and “Don’t fail to attend on the given date.”

Koome, however, now says he was contacted by Njuri Ncheke Meru County branch Secretary General, Pharis Murangiri, who asked him not to attend the said summon.

“He (Murangiri) told me that the Njuri Ncheke council which summoned me were impostors and therefore I should not attend. He said, if anything, he would back us,” said Koome.

Muranguri, speaking to Citizen Digital on phone, reiterated Koome’s statements saying, “We disown the letter and the said council, they are not our members.”

The summoning letter presented to Koome was signed by one Salesio Kirema purporting to be the Igembe South sub-county Njuri Ncheke Secretary.

However, Muraguri, dismissed this saying the actual Igembe South sub-county Njuri Ncheke Secretary is Joseph Mugambi while the Chair is Mzee Leonard Kubai.

The council of elders boss further stated that if indeed the reporter had published something that had brushed them the wrong way, the council would settle it with his employer and not him as an individual.

“We respect the press and we work peacefully with all journalists. The press enlightens Kenyans, we can never suppress their freedom to do so,” he stated.

“And if Koome is summoned anywhere then I will stand by him,” he added.

The story, published on Citizen Digital dated April 30, 2018, alleged that Igembe South legislator John Paul Mwirigi had physically assaulted a man who reportedly led a demonstration over the poor state of roads in the constituency.

John Gikunda alias Wanugu had claimed that the 24-year-old lawmaker manhandled him and squeezed his neck in public on Sunday accusing him of having a private agenda to tarnish his name.

“… as I was going home from church I met with several vehicles and one of them, a Range Rover, stopped and I saw the MP. He called me and asked why we were demonstrating without addressing him first. I told him we are suffering because of this poor road. He got angry and accused me that I’m leading a war against him. It is then that he got out of the car, charged at him and held me by the neck,” recalled Gikunda, as published in the story.

“Lucky enough as we were speaking, a crowd had gathered to see mheshimiwa. So the locals intervened and that is when the MP let me go.”

Mr. Mwirigi, however, denied the claims saying the individual was out to taint his name.

Following the publication of the story on April 30, Mwirigi reportedly cancelled an interview with Royal Media Services’ owned VOD platform, ViuSasa, citing the story as defamatory.

He was unavailable on call for comment on Monday.