Media practitioners, on June 20, met with Senior Police officers from the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Criminal Investigations Department (CID) National Public Prosecution Authority(NPPA) to draw strategies of how best they can cooperate in serving the public efficiently.
The meeting held at RNP headquarters in Kacyiru came as a follow-up of recommendations made from the April training where journalists requested for a special working session with the CID and NPPA with an aim of making members of the media understand more investigations and criminal procedure in general, also enhance their working relations.
While addressing journalists, the commissioner for CID, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Theos Badege spoke at length about the operations of the department and how best it can cooperate with journalists in serving public interests.
“Partnership between the media and the justice sector is paramount in prevention, detection and investigations – it’s the best model in serving the public collectively,” ACP Badege said.
He further reminded journalists that the way they package information may impact on police investigations either negatively or positively.
On a positive note, ACP Badege recalled a case in 2014 involving one Sylvestre Hora, then a house-help, who was on a run after killing a 12-year-old girl in Nyamirambo, Kigali – a case that caused public outcry.
“As we mounted a manhunt for the murderer, a resident of Gatsibo, who had seen Hora’s photograph on one of online media outlet called the police and he was arrested; this is proof of how the media can contribute to what we do in a win-win situation, and we are very happy about this kind of partnership,” said ACP Badege.
He, however, reminded journalists that although the media and the Police have a mandate of serving public interests, the latter is sometimes obliged maintain confidentiality as means of not jeopardizing investigations.
Emmanuel Mugisha, the Executive Secretary of Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), said that “responsible reporting” can prevent risks and challenges media practitioners face in crime reporting.
“Covering organized crime or corruption exposes a journalists’ life to risk. Journalists need special protection mechanism in such situation,” Mugisha said.
He went on to say that at times journalists are “sensationalistic” is reporting a crime and act on emotion and focus on negative images of crime in communities rather than aiming for facts.
“Investigative journalism as a unique service of the media that contributes in fighting and preventing crime has many challenges both at individual, institutional and environmental levels. The judicial language being unfamiliar to journalists also cripples their professional and ethical reporting on crimes,” he said.
“Campaigns against human trafficking, child abuse, mobilization for the safety of women, supporting victims, have all contributed as crime prevention initiatives and improved the quality of facts and dissemination of information. The media can help to disseminate information against such violence that women and children face.”
Mugisha called for the promotion of civic journalism, which fosters responsibility on the part of the media to provide reliable information.
Chief Prosecutor Ndibwami Rugambwa, who also attended the meeting, said that the power of information in the media, CID and prosecution relays on information to execute their responsibilities.
“Since we all relay on information to keep our society safe, we need to handle it with care and ensure that what we give to the public will not jeopardize one another’s duties,” said Rugambwa.
At the end of the meeting, all parties agreed to enhance their cooperation including training on crime reporting and investigation skills.
In crime reporting and investigations, journalists also committed to observing the principle of presumption of innocence at all times as provided by the Constitution and other laws.
Rwanda Media Commission, the media fraternity and RNP also agreed on building a partnership that would be focused on sensitizing the public on media literacy, ethics and responsible content sharing.
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