This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
Franklin Wallah, a seasoned investigative reporter at KTN, has been a thorn in the side of criminals in Kenya. His latest encounter with them, however, was a sobering reminder of the risks he takes in his line of work.
On Saturday, Wallah was mugged for the second time in four months. The incident occurred at around 4pm on Outering/Kangundo Road Junction, where a group of assailants riding on a motorbike snatched away his phone but did not harm him.
According to Wallah, this was not his first encounter with these attackers. In fact, it was the second time in four months that he had been targeted. The first incident occurred near an ATM in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), where he was robbed more violently.
Wallah has vowed to track down his attackers and lobby for their arrest and prosecution. In a post on social media, he warned them that their days are numbered, saying, "It is sad to say that, their hunt down just begun. Soon it gonna be a sad affair. Am sorry for it’s not going to take long."
Wallah has a reputation for being fearless and determined in his pursuit of justice. He joined KTN in August 2019, after becoming disillusioned with the frustration of his investigative work at Mediamax, a Kenyatta Family-owned media house.
He has done several exposés, including CCTV footage of the late Mary Kamangara, the slain Kori wife – Kiambu Murder, Kisirani Kisauni – Terror Gangs of Kisauni, and Giza la Gaza – Terror Gangs of Kayole.
Wallah's determination to bring his attackers to justice is a testament to his commitment to his work. As he said in a subsequent post, "I regret the incident, but I am not shaken by the fact that I fell prey to my muggers who I described as 'useless'".
