By Anderson Ojwang’
Police in Homa Bay last evening arrested a human resource officer at the county government who abducted and assaulted a journalist over story about fake employment scam.
The police also detained her vehicle that was used in abduction at Homa Bay central police station for further investigation.
Similarly, the officer was also interdicted by the county government over what they termed as serious gross allegations.
In a press statement by Chief officer of Public Communication and Governance Atieno Otieno said that Beatrice Mercy Akugo has been interdicted with immediate effect.
“The government took decisive action following serious allegations of misconduct against a county officer.
Effective immediately, the human resource officer in the department of Roads, Transport and Public works, has been interdicted from her duties.
This decision follows grave accusations that MS Akugo is facing allegations of involvement in the abduction, assault and intimidation of a journalist. The alleged details of the incident are abhorrent, and include the journalist being abducted, held against his will, physically assaulted, and threatened.
The interdiction is a standard procedural measure to allow for a thorough impartial, and unimpeded investigation into these allegations. The county government is fully cooperating with the national police service and other relevant investigative agencies to ensure a comprehensive probe is conducted,” she wrote.
Media council of Kenya (MCK) also condemned the attack and demanded legal action over assaults of journalist Habil Onyango.
“The Media council of Kenya is appalled by the brutal assault, abduction, and intimidation of journalist Habil Onyango in homa bay on 14ths September 2025. This is heinous act, allegedly orchestrated by a senior human resource officer at homa bay county government, targeted Mr. Onyangos for his investigative reporting on a fraudulent employment scandal. This attack is not only attacking an individual but a grave threat to press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the rule of law in Kenya,” read the statement by MCK.
MCK also demanded swift, transparent investigation by directorate of criminal investigations, independent policing oversight authority and office of the directorate of public prosecution.
Kenya Union of Journalist (KUJ) also joined in condemning attack of the journalist and demanded immolate arrest of the suspect.
Arrest County Government of Homa Bay employee who attacked a journalist.
We condemn the abduction and torture of Homa Bay-based journalist Habil Onyango by a human resource officer and her accomplices. Such heinous acts of violence against journalists shall not be tolerated. We demand immediate arrest of the officer and arraignment in court.
Mr. Onyango was abducted and tortured on Sunday by Beatrice Akugo and hired goons in Homa Bay town due to a story he wrote over the alleged employment scam in the county.
We further call for investigation into the alleged employment scam in the county, which is the subject of the attack to enable the victims get justice.
The unchecked impunity among county officials who are afraid of scrutiny of their actions and corruption must come to an end,” wrote secretary general Mr. Erick Oduor,
Akugo, told Western Insight that she lured Onyango, through a friend to a hotel in the town, where she assaulted him.
“I slapped him severally and I can tell you he had a swollen face. I called one of the doctors based at Homa Bay hospital who came and viewed him where we were. The doctor, said he sustained soft tissues injuries, and he left and brough him medication, but Habil declined to take,” she said.
Habil reported the incident with Homa bay police, and it was entered on OB number 25/14/25 as assault.
Habil claimed Akugo and her accomplices confiscated his phones and laptop, deleted his chats and wrote and posted an apology to Akugo in his page.
“I was abducted, tortured and they posted an apology on my face book page. They wanted me to write another story but the people who read the apology got concerned and started looking for me,” he said.
Homa Bay journalist have condemned the attack and have held a peaceful demonstration to the police station to demand the arrest of the four suspects.
“We are heading to the police station to demand the arrest of the four suspects. These suspects nearly killed Habil, we demand justice for journalist,” said Erick Odek.
Akugo denied abducting the journalist but said she was annoyed by the story which implicated her as accomplice in the fake employment scam.
“I was enraged that Habil wrote my name as an accomplice. I slapped him and some goons who were at the hotel also wanted to join in but I restrained them. We decided to change location to a different place to avoid attracting attention of people in the hotel,” she said,
Akugo confirmed a commissioner with the Homa bay public service Mr. Awuonda Oreta called her to find out why she had abducted the journalist and that the matter had been reported to the police.
“Yes, commissioner Oreta called me and asked why I had abducted and tortured the journalist. I told him that, I had not abducted him and even gave him the phone to speak to Habil.
My friends who I was with got enraged why Habil had called to claim that he was abducted and being tortured. They chased him away from where we were,” she said.
But Oreta said he was alarmed by the post on the Habil timeline and decided to make a fallow up on the journalist safety.
“What I read on the Facebook alarmed me and I decided to make a follow up if everything was right. And I think our intervention saved the day,” he said.
