This archive report was first published on 3 September 2019.
On August 30, 2019, the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti issued a directive to withdraw security services provided to Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) during sting operations to enforce compliance.
The move comes after the Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai warned that the so-called sting operations were extortion ventures that tainted the police image.
According to a letter sent by Mutyambai to Kinoti on August 28, 2019, the operations were being used as a means to extort money from the public, with police officers being hired by MCSK staff to offer security during their operations.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had earlier ordered the DCI and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate MCSK following outcry over low royalties paid to musicians.
The investigation was prompted by Kenyatta's directive during the funeral of Benga musician John Ng'ang'a alias John De'Mathew, where he ordered the DCI and EACC to find out if there were any corrupt dealings among institutions mandated to collect royalties on behalf of authors, composers, arrangers, and publishers of musical works.
