Police ask Jesa to withdraw 'misleading' advert

In a Monday statement, the police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga tasked Jesa Dairy Farm to withdraw an on-air commercial advert for its juice in which a traffic officer is depicted as being corrupt.

Mr Enanga explained that the content in a controversial commercial advert of Jesa Dairy Farm’s juice, popularly known as Jesa Jus deceptively suggests that a traffic police officer, during a normal traffic enforcement routine stopped a driver for inspection, but is immediately compromised with a pack of Jesa Jus from the panicky driver and children, after which he left them to proceed without inspection.

”The Ad made reference to the traffic police, as being corrupt and easily bribed by Jesa Jus [juice],” he added.

He further explained that the advert promotes acts of bribery among children and also reinforces negative perceptions by children against police.

“The driver is seen, allegedly bribing a traffic officer with a packet of JESA JUS in front of children and lets them off the hook. It therefore draws a link between the traffic officer, the driver and children. The driver and children are depicted as traffic violators,” Mr Enanga explained.

“The advert [also] deceptively suggests that the police leadership endorses the product and further supports the campaign to market, sell and drink the product, which is not true,” he added.

Mr Enanga cautioned marketers and Ad producers to always seek authorisation before usage of police images in producing commercial adverts, saying that the use of the police uniform without the express permission of the Inspector General of Police is strictly prohibited.

“As a result, we demand that the commercial firm pulls out the traffic police content or the entire advert, and halts any further displays on TV, radios and other digital platforms. Failure to do so will call for sanction in the civil court of law by the Directorate of Legal and Human Rights Services,” he said.

Section 169 of the Penal Code Act prohibits anyone who is not in the police or armed forces from wearing gazetted armed forces’ uniform and on conviction of going against this section; a person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years.