A reporter from I.B Blog Online TV, Aruna Kamara also known as MC Aruna was assaulted by a police officer while returning from work in Masiaka, the media house said in a press release on Tuesday.

The incident happened after Kamara boarded a Kekeh in Jui and was stopped at a police checkpoint. According to a public statement made by Kamara, the officer told the Kekeh rider that three-wheel vehicles were not allowed to use that road at the time.

Kamara said he politely explained that he is a blogger and needed to respond to an emergency report. The officer reportedly became aggressive and replied, “Young man, you don’t talk to me anyhow, okay? I can’t tolerate that.”

Kamara said he repeated his request, but the officer dragged him out of the vehicle, slapped him, and twisted his arm. He also said he lost some of his belongings during the incident, including a microphone and a headset tools he uses for work.

Related News

In the press release, I.B Blog Online TV confirmed the loss of some personal items. It also stated that the Local Unit Commander (LUC) and other police officers later reached out and helped return one of the items, a headset.

The media house condemned the officer’s actions and said such behavior should not happen again. It also called on all security personnel to treat journalists with respect while they carry out their duties.

“We stand firmly with our staff. We will do all within our power to protect, support, and defend our team against any form of abuse or misconduct,” the statement said.

Kamara has written a formal complaint to the Local Unit Commander of the Jui Division and has requested a response within two days.