Latest news with #BBCAfricaEye
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Focus on Africa Can the UN bridge the political divide in Libya?
The Libyan capital city, Tripoli, has been rocked by clashes between armed rival groups, and pressure is building up on the prime minister to resign as protests erupt in other parts of the country. Can the United Nations mission in Libya (UNSMIL) help to bring stability to the divided country? Smart cities are popping up across Africa, blending tech, data, and infrastructure to create the digital urban towns of tomorrow. But just how 'smart' are these projects? And we hear from victims caught in the crosshairs of Cameroon's Anglophone conflict, and also speak to the reporter of BBC Africa Eye's latest investigation looking into the country's deadly crisis. Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Nyasha Michelle in London. Blessing Aderogba is in Lagos Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pressure mounts to probe Kenya police and army after BBC exposé
Leading human rights organisations have renewed calls for investigations into the killing of protesters by Kenya's security forces during demonstrations against a rise in taxes last June. It follows a BBC Africa Eye investigation, exposing members of the security forces who shot dead three protesters at Kenya's parliament, igniting public outrage and demands for justice. Amnesty International and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said the officers identified in the documentary should "face the law". The BBC said it had cancelled a private screening of the documentary in Kenya's capital Nairobi on Monday "due to pressure from the authorities". "We are very disappointed not to have been able to share the documentary and panel discussion as planned," a BBC spokesperson said. "In the meantime, audiences can watch the film on BBC Africa's YouTube channel," the spokesperson added. 'They aimed to kill' - BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protesters BBC Africa Eye's Blood Parliament documentary revealed how security forces brutally responded to youthful protesters who breached Kenya's parliament on 25 June 2024, the day lawmakers voted to approve the proposed tax hikes. The controversial finance bill was aimed at raising $2.7bn (£2bn) the government said it needed to cut its reliance on external borrowing - but had sparked widespread. Using open-source data and user-generated content, the BBC's analysis of more than 5,000 images identified uniformed security personnel - a policeman and solider - who opened fire killing three unarmed protesters at parliament. The wider clampdown by the security forces on a series of protests against the finance bill left at least 65 people dead, resulted in the forcible disappearance of 89 others and the arrest of thousands, according to Amnesty International. The Kenyan government put the death toll at 42. Amnesty said the documentary corroborated the group's earlier report that "unnecessary and excessive lethal force was used against protesters". It demanded both the police and the Kenya army to "act and publicly state the actions being taken with regard to the findings of the BBC exposé". The rights group urged Kenyans to sign a petition calling for a public inquiry into the killings during what were dubbed the #OccupyParliament protests. The KHRC said the BBC documentary revealed how "organised criminals in police and military uniforms" were deployed "to murder innocent Kenyans". It said the "responsibility rests with [President William] Ruto, who must be held accountable for these deaths". Kenyans expressed their anger online, pressing the government to hold security officers accountable for the killings and injuries of peaceful protesters. Ruto has previously defended police against accusations of brutality and recently warned Kenyans against commenting on military matters. Police have also repeatedly denied involvement in the abductions and killings. No officers have been charged. In response to the BBC documentary, the police service said the force could not investigate itself, adding that the Kenya's Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) was responsible for investigating alleged misconduct. The Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) told the BBC the IPOA had not forwarded any request to look into any of its personnel involved in the operations at parliament. On Monday, following the release of the BBC Africa Eye documentary, the IPOA gave an update on the investigations into police brutality witnessed during the anti-tax protests. The authority revealed that so far, of the 60 deaths under investigation, 41 involved gunshot wounds. IPOA said it had completed 22 investigations, while it was actively pursuing 36, and that two cases were currently before the courts. The investigating agency said it had recorded 233 injury cases during the demonstrations. In a statement, the main opposition coalition said the "execution of peaceful protesters was premeditated and sanctioned at the highest levels". "We strongly warn the Ruto regime on further bloodshed," a joint statement said, reacting to the BBC documentary. The Kenyan government is yet to officially respond to the BBC documentary but one legislator has called for the BBC to be banned in Kenya. George Peter Kaluma said that the 37-minute-long documentary risked "destabilising" the country. But a senator, Edwin Sifuna, defended the documentary saying there were no "fabrications" in it. "We must encourage these stories to be told from all angles for the sake of truth and justice. Those who are uncomfortable with this are wrestling with their own consciences and we cannot help them with that," Sifuna posted on X. Batons, tear gas, live fire - Kenyans face police brutality New faces of protest - Kenya's Gen Z anti-tax revolutionaries Kenyan tax protesters take on Christian leaders Kenyan president's humbling shows power of African youth Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Blood Parliament: Rights groups call for probe after BBC Africa Eye documentary
Leading human rights organisations have renewed calls for investigations into the killing of protesters by Kenya's security forces during demonstrations against a rise in taxes last follows a BBC Africa Eye investigation, exposing members of the security forces who shot dead three protesters at Kenya's parliament, igniting public outrage and demands for International and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said the officers identified in the documentary should "face the law". The BBC said it had cancelled a private screening of the documentary in Kenya's capital Nairobi on Monday "due to pressure from the authorities". "We are very disappointed not to have been able to share the documentary and panel discussion as planned," a BBC spokesperson said."In the meantime, audiences can watch the film on BBC Africa's YouTube channel," the spokesperson added.'They aimed to kill' - BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protestersBBC Africa Eye's Blood Parliament documentary revealed how security forces brutally responded to youthful protesters who breached Kenya's parliament on 25 June 2024, the day lawmakers voted to approve the proposed tax controversial finance bill was aimed at raising $2.7bn (£2bn) the government said it needed to cut its reliance on external borrowing - but had sparked open-source data and user-generated content, the BBC's analysis of more than 5,000 images identified uniformed security personnel - a policeman and solider - who opened fire killing three unarmed protesters at wider clampdown by the security forces on a series of protests against the finance bill left at least 65 people dead, resulted in the forcible disappearance of 89 others and the arrest of thousands, according to Amnesty International. The Kenyan government put the death toll at 42. Amnesty said the documentary corroborated the group's earlier report that "unnecessary and excessive lethal force was used against protesters".It demanded both the police and the Kenya army to "act and publicly state the actions being taken with regard to the findings of the BBC exposé". The rights group urged Kenyans to sign a petition calling for a public inquiry into the killings during what were dubbed the #OccupyParliament protests. The KHRC said the BBC documentary revealed how "organised criminals in police and military uniforms" were deployed "to murder innocent Kenyans".It said the "responsibility rests with [President William] Ruto, who must be held accountable for these deaths".Kenyans expressed their anger online, pressing the government to hold security officers accountable for the killings and injuries of peaceful has previously defended police against accusations of brutality and recently warned Kenyans against commenting on military matters. Police have also repeatedly denied involvement in the abductions and killings. No officers have been response to the BBC documentary, the police service said the force could not investigate itself, adding that the Kenya's Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) was responsible for investigating alleged Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) told the BBC the IPOA had not forwarded any request to look into any of its personnel involved in the operations at Monday, following the release of the BBC Africa Eye documentary, the IPOA gave an update on the investigations into police brutality witnessed during the anti-tax protests. The authority revealed that so far, of the 60 deaths under investigation, 41 involved gunshot wounds. IPOA said it had completed 22 investigations, while it was actively pursuing 36, and that two cases were currently before the investigating agency said it had recorded 233 injury cases during the a statement, the main opposition coalition said the "execution of peaceful protesters was premeditated and sanctioned at the highest levels"."We strongly warn the Ruto regime on further bloodshed," a joint statement said, reacting to the BBC documentary. The Kenyan government is yet to officially respond to the BBC documentary but one legislator has called for the BBC to be banned in Peter Kaluma said that the 37-minute-long documentary risked "destabilising" the a senator, Edwin Sifuna, defended the documentary saying there were no "fabrications" in it. "We must encourage these stories to be told from all angles for the sake of truth and justice. Those who are uncomfortable with this are wrestling with their own consciences and we cannot help them with that," Sifuna posted on X. You may also be interested in: Batons, tear gas, live fire - Kenyans face police brutalityNew faces of protest - Kenya's Gen Z anti-tax revolutionariesKenyan tax protesters take on Christian leadersKenyan president's humbling shows power of African youth Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ghana journalist awarded $18m in US after suing ex-MP
A US court awarded Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18m (£14m) in damages, after a jury said he was defamed by former Ghanaian MP Kennedy Agyapong. The case stems from comments Agyapong made about Anas after his BBC investigation in 2018 that exposed football corruption in Ghana and elsewhere. The court heard that Agyapong, among other accusations made on a podcast, had called the reporter a "criminal" and alleged he was behind the murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale Anas lost a similar legal action in Ghana seven years ago. But after the release of the podcast episode in 2021 Anas went to court in the US state of New Jersey where Agyapong has a property. The politician was in New Jersey when he was interviewed for the Daddy Fred Show podcast, according to court papers filed by his lawyers. Last week's initial verdict was confirmed on Tuesday. The $18m in damages was the result of a unanimous decision by an eight-member jury in Essex County Superior Court in New Jersey, finding Agyapong liable for defamation. The figure included $8m in punitive damages. "Justice has prevailed. This victory is not just for me, but for truth, press freedom, and every journalist who risks everything to expose corruption and wrongdoing," Anas said in response. "No amount of intimidation or falsehood will silence the pursuit of accountability even in the face of assassination. Our work continues, undeterred and unafraid." The journalist, who has won multiple international awards for his reporting, has vowed to continue fighting corruption and holding wrongdoers accountable. Agyapong's lawyers had unsuccessfully argued that the case should not have been brought in the US in the first place. They also said that the comments made on the podcast were the kinds of things other courts had described as hyperbole and opinion and were not subject to a defamation case. Meanwhile, police in Ghana have arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of Anas' colleague, Ahmed Hussein Suale, who was killed in 2019. The suspect allegedly shared pictures of the undercover journalist with a popular Ghanaian politician before his death. The death of Ahmed was also linked to a football corruption exposé. The investigation sought to expose corruption in African football and was reported by BBC Africa Eye. Betraying the Game: African officials filmed taking cash Ghana dissolves football association after BBC investigation into corruption Players union welcomes life ban for Gabon football coach over sexual abuse Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
19-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Anas case against Agyapong: Ghana journalist awarded $18m after suing ex-MP
A US court awarded Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18m (£14m) in damages, after a jury said he was defamed by former Ghanaian MP Kennedy case stems from comments Agyapong made about Anas after his BBC investigation in 2018 that exposed football corruption in Ghana and court heard that Agyapong, among other accusations made on a podcast, had called the reporter a "criminal" and alleged he was behind the murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale Anas lost a similar legal action in Ghana seven years ago. But after the release of the podcast episode in 2021 Anas went to court in the US state of New Jersey where Agyapong has a property. The politician was in New Jersey when he was interviewed for the Daddy Fred Show podcast, according to court papers filed by his week's initial verdict was confirmed on Tuesday. The $18m in damages was the result of a unanimous decision by an eight-member jury in Essex County Superior Court in New Jersey, finding Agyapong liable for figure included $8m in punitive damages."Justice has prevailed. This victory is not just for me, but for truth, press freedom, and every journalist who risks everything to expose corruption and wrongdoing," Anas said in response."No amount of intimidation or falsehood will silence the pursuit of accountability even in the face of assassination. Our work continues, undeterred and unafraid." The journalist, who has won multiple international awards for his reporting, has vowed to continue fighting corruption and holding wrongdoers lawyers had unsuccessfully argued that the case should not have been brought in the US in the first place. They also said that the comments made on the podcast were the kinds of things other courts had described as hyperbole and opinion and were not subject to a defamation police in Ghana have arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of Anas' colleague, Ahmed Hussein Suale, who was killed in suspect allegedly shared pictures of the undercover journalist with a popular Ghanaian politician before his death. The death of Ahmed was also linked to a football corruption exposé. The investigation sought to expose corruption in African football and was reported by BBC Africa Eye. You may also be interested in: Betraying the Game: African officials filmed taking cashGhana dissolves football association after BBC investigation into corruptionPlayers union welcomes life ban for Gabon football coach over sexual abuse Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
