Uasin Gishu County journalists received witness protection training to ensure the safety of witnesses who participate in criminal trials. The training program equipped media personnel with essential skills to handle sensitive witness information during their news reporting.
The Witness Protection Agency (WPA) organized a forum to demonstrate how the media protects court witnesses through its essential role in reporting court proceedings.
Training Focuses on Responsible Reporting
Eldoret held a session that trained journalists to report on stories about witnesses who face possible intimidation or threats. The team received instructions to maintain witness anonymity by refraining from publishing any information that includes personal details or their name or location or any other type of identification.
The Witness Protection Agency established through the Witness Protection Act of 2006 functions as an organization which safeguards witnesses who face dangers from their criminal case testimony and other judicial procedures. The agency received expanded powers through amendments of 2010 and 2016 because they enabled the organization to operate protection programs which encompass witness relocation and identity transformation and psychosocial support provision.
Legal Provisions on Witness Safety
Calvin Oredi head of Public Communications at WPA established that journalists need to make sure their articles do not endanger the safety of witnesses. He cited Section 30 of the Witness Protection Act as a law which prohibits unauthorized persons from revealing the location and identity of protected witnesses.
Calvin Oredi-Public Relation Officer under the Witness Protection Agency Photo/Courtesy
He warned people that any illegal actions which someone takes without legal authority will result in a sentence that can reach seven years in prison. Section 117 of the Penal Code establishes criminal penalties for people who try to obstruct legal proceedings by preventing witnesses from testifying or who attempt to manipulate sources of evidence. Such offenses carry penalties of up to five years in jail.
Oredi instructed journalists to maintain a balance between two competing rights because the public deserves to get information while individual people need protection from threats to their life. He warned against the practice of sensational journalism because it creates the dangerous possibility of damaging witness protection methods while also compromising the judicial process.
Media’s Role in Strengthening Justice
According to Oredi the media functions as a crucial ally to educate people about laws and programs which protect witnesses while keeping their identities confidential. The press builds public confidence in the justice system through its work.
He noted that journalists monitor government funding and execution of witness protection programs while they serve as a protection shield against witness endangerment. He added that accurate reporting about court procedures will lead to more witnesses coming forward because they believe their safety will be guaranteed.
The media can create legal changes through their coverage of legal deficiencies which they use to demand improvements in witness protection through better safety protocols and anonymous reporting systems and extended support for witnesses.
Agency Outreach and Impact
The WPA increases its communication activities with stakeholder groups which includes media personnel to enhance their understanding of its services while maintaining its operational confidentiality. The agency develops communication plans which help establish its public image while protecting sensitive information about its clandestine work.
Oredi said some witnesses in Uasin Gishu and surrounding areas may hesitate to testify due to fear and threats. He requested journalists to assist the public in learning about agency functions so that people who require protection can seek safety.
WPA has taken various actions which created positive outcomes against major criminal activities including terrorism and drug trafficking and human trafficking and murder and robbery with violence and gender-based violence and corruption and land-related disputes.
The agency revealed that protecting one witness and about three dependents costs an average of Sh5.7 million annually. WPA works together with over 30 governmental agencies which include the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the National Police Service and the Kenya Prisons Service and Court User Associations.
Since its establishment in 2011 the agency has received more than 2000 protection applications. The organization approved 900 applications which resulted in more than 600 protected witnesses testifying at court hearings.
Media Council Welcomes Initiative
Media Council of Kenya Regional Coordinator Joseph Mecha expressed his support for the training program because it helped journalists better understand witness safety procedures. The engagement enabled media practitioners to learn about their rights to protection as well as their rights to receive safety rights.
Joseph Mecha Rift Valley Region Coordinator Media Council of Kenya. Photo/Courtesy
Mecha said the discussions also highlighted the need for structured cooperation between the media and institutions responsible for witness safety. Journalists used the opportunity to discuss their difficulties with covering sensitive topics while discovering better methods to manage such situations.
The organization will continue its outreach initiatives to protect both witnesses and journalists who face risks because of their involvement in dangerous work activities.
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