Kenyan Govt Accuses BBC of ‘Falsified’ Child Trafficking Report

Kenyan Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, has said the BBC report released earlier this month on child sex trafficking in the town of Mai Mahiu contained “fabricated accounts”. Murkomen alleged that some women featured in the film falsified their ages “to fit the broadcaster’s narrative”.

Appearing before the Kenyan parliament, the official said several interviewees in the broadcast lied about their ages to “qualify for a promised foreign sponsorship program allegedly dangled by the BBC crew”.

Murkomen told lawmakers that while cases of child sexual exploitation exist in the country, “it is now apparent that the documentary failed to meet its intended purpose due to falsified information from some interviewees.”

The BBC has denied the minister’s claims, insisting that none of the contributors featured in this film were paid or coached: “As clearly stated in the film, the survivors of abuse who were interviewed were all over 18 and recounted experiences of abuse that occurred when they were underage. We are thankful to the survivors for their brave contributions”.