The National Police Service (NPS) on Wednesday spoke on reports appearing in a section of the media on the alleged retrieval of fresh bodies from River Yala.

The police service, through its spokesperson Bruno Shioso, addressed the fresh reports in a statement issued on Wednesday, in which it termed the reports as inaccurate and misleading.

“Attention of the NPS is drawn to a recent media reporting by Citizen TV on alleged "retrieval" of seven (7) bodies from River Yala, with the bodies lying at Yala sub-county hospital mortuary. This reporting is inaccurate and grossly misleading to the public,” the statement read in part.

While acknowledging that seven bodies are at the Yala Sub-county mortuary, Shioso said not all of them are associated with the revival from River Yala, as the reports suggested.

“Whereas it is true that seven (7) dead bodies are at the local Yala sub- county mortuary, not all are associated to a 'retrieval' from the Yala River as alleged,” the statement read.

According to the statement, each body has a specific and different history and circumstances from the other.

The police spokesperson also affirmed the authority’s commitment to establishing the identity of the deceased persons and their causes of death.

“In all these cases, local and neighbouring police are fully seized, are coordinating and investigating with a view of establishing identity of deceased persons including probable causes of their respective deaths,” Shioso said.

“Inquest files have been opened as per the law.”

The following is the full statement: