Appeal of celebrity status versus being a British police officer

The Nigerian born Khafi Kareem, a Constable in Metropolitan Police has been participating in the reality TV show known as the Big Brother Naija House. Her participation in the show has attracted the attention of her employers and she may face disciplinary proceedings in the UK.

Information available shows that Ms. Kareem who joined the Metropolitan Police in 2015 took a leave of absence for a different purpose only to use the time to travel to Nigeria and join in the reality TV show. Apparently, she sought permission to participate in the show. But the request for permission was not granted. It is not clear when she sought the permission and whether her request was actually denied or just that it was not granted. That a request was not granted does not mean that it was denied. Maybe it was still being considered until Ms. Kareem was seen having sex with another participant in the show.

Understandably the Met is concerned about the public attention which Ms. Kareem’s conduct (ie, her detailed roles in the show such as open sexual intercourse) has attracted. Such concerns normally increase pressure for disciplinary measures to enforce professional standards in the police force.

In any such disciplinary action, the standard of legal analysis will involve the question of whether her request to participate was denied or was just not granted as at the time her conduct came to light. In other words, could her request still had been granted had her conduct not come to light? Failure to grant a request does not necessarily amount to a denial of the request. The request could still have been under consideration. It is more egregious to proceed after a request for permission has been denied than to proceed while such request is pending a decision.

According to the UK Evening Standard, the 29-year-old, who joined the UK Police as a Constable in 2015, is being probed after she was filmed having sex with 31-year-old housemate, Ekpata Gedoni on the show.

The Met further explained that  Ms. Kareem was granted unpaid leave for an “unrelated reason” ahead of appearing on the show, but her request to take part in the programme was not granted.

A spokesperson for the Met said, “A PC attached to the Met’s transformation command requested permission to take part in a reality television entertainment show in Nigeria. Permission was not given.

“The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed and will be carrying out an investigation into the circumstances.”

A post on the website of Africa Magic says Ms. Kareem joined the show “to do societal good.”

The web post further reads, “Police officer Khafi Kareem believes that you can have it all if you believe in yourself.

“She is not only hoping to win the prize money but she wants the exposure that being in the Big Brother Naija House brings, so that she can do societal good.

“What people don’t know about her is that she is secretly talented in spoken word, singing and dancing. She is an Ekiti native who resides in London.”

Ultimately Ms. Kareem will be choosing between being a celebrity and being a police officer. Many will go for the former. As a lowly placed constable, there is not much in remaining with the Met. In the contrast, fame and fortune will likely await her in the show business. She just needs to know how to offer more than sex romps on TV.