Citizen TV Report Is False- Police

National Police Service (NPS) spokesperson, Bruno Shioso has termed one of Citizen TV's reports as misleading.

The report by the Royal Media Services (RMS) station aired on Monday, September 19 claimed that seven more bodies were retrieved from River Yala.

Titled Seven more bodies recovered from River Yala in two months, the report further claimed that the deceased brought the tally to 39 bodies recovered from the river in 2022.

An image of River Yala where several bodies have been retrieved in 2022. /WIKIPEDIA

Shioso flagged it as inaccurate and misleading to the public.

"Attention of the NPS is drawn to a recent media reporting by Citizen TV on alleged “retrieval" of seven (7) bodies from River Yala, with the bodies lying at Yala sub-county hospital mortuary. This reporting is inaccurate and grossly misleading to the public.

"Whereas it is true that seven (7) dead bodies are at the local Yala sub-county mortuary, not all are associated to a "retrieval" from the Yala River as alleged. Each body has a specific and different history and circumstances from the other," he stated in part.

NPS provided a breakdown of the source of the seven bodies lying at the Yala sub-county hospital mortuary.

One case involved the sudden death of an unknown person who collapsed and died at Wagai Market and another involved mob injustice from the Malanga area.

Another case involved suspected drowning brought to the morgue by the neighbouring Khwisero police station.

Two bodies were retrieved from River Yala; one case of a hit-and-run traffic accident and the final case being a suspected suicide by drowning, which was witnessed by the public and a suicide note left behind. 

Shioso maintained that law enforcement officers were working round the clock to determine the identity of the deceased persons and their probable cause of death.

"In all these cases, local and neighbouring police are fully seized, are coordinating and investigating with a view of establishing the identity of deceased persons including probable causes of their respective deaths.

"Inquest files have been opened as per the law," added the statement. 

National Police Service (NPS) spokesperson Bruno Shioso. /FILE