Court Orders Kenya To Make A Ksh.10 Million Compensation To Slain Pakistani Journalist’s Family
Following the mysterious murder of Pakistani TV journalist Arshad Sharif in 2022, the Kenyan government has been ordered to pay his family Ksh.10 million in compensation.
On Monday morning, High Court Judge Stella Mutuku ruled that Sharif’s murder was unconstitutional and violated his right to life and protection.
Sharif’s family, led by his widow Javeria Siddique, sued the government for their loved one’s death, claiming he had the right to be protected and was wrongfully killed.
However, the state requested that the ruling be suspended for at least 30 days in order for them to file an appeal, which the court granted.
Kenya's High Court has rejected the claim of mistaken identity by the police in the Arshad Sharif murder case and ordered action against the accused in accordance with the law.
— Maria Memon (@Maria_Memon) July 8, 2024
The truth will prevail, one way or another. #JusticeForArshadSharif https://t.co/KgCVC5hz5g
Sharif, who had fled Pakistan due to threats to his life, was fatally shot by Kenyan police in Nairobi on October 23, 2022.
Kenyan officials said it was a case of mistaken identity, and police looking for car thieves opened fire on his vehicle as it drove through a roadblock without stopping.
A two-member fact-finding team formed by the Pakistani government to investigate the killing said it discovered several contradictions in the version given by Kenyan authorities and concluded it was a case of pre-planned murder.
The team traveled to Kenya to conduct interviews, examine and reconstruct the crime scene, and investigate the deceased’s phones and computers.
“Both the members of the (fact-finding team) have a considered understanding that it is a case of planned targeted assassination with transnational characters rather than a case of mistaken identity,” said the report, copies of which were submitted to Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
“It is more probable that the firing was done, after taking proper aim, at a stationary vehicle,” it said.
Kenyan authorities declined to comment on the details of the report.
“The investigation into the matter is still ongoing, so there is not much I can tell,” said Kenya National Police Service spokesperson Resila Onyango.
Why Did Arshad Sharif Flee Pakistan?
Sharif fled Pakistan, citing threats to his life after the government filed several treason charges against him.
One of the treason cases stemmed from Sharif’s reporting, which led to accusations that he spread a call from a previous government official, led by former cricket star Imran Khan, for armed forces members to mutiny.
Sharif and a previous government official denied inciting a mutiny.
Former Prime Minister Khan claimed Sharif was murdered for his journalistic work.
He and his successor, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is unrelated to the journalist, called for a judicial investigation.
The fact-finding team’s report also identified apparent contradictions in autopsy reports from Kenya and Pakistan.
The Pakistani post-mortem report identified 12 injuries on Sharif’s body, while the Kenyan report identified only two injuries caused by gunshots.
According to the team’s report, doctors suspected the injuries were caused by torture or a struggle, but this could not be confirmed until the doctor who performed the post-mortem in Kenya verified it.
Court Orders Kenya To Make A Ksh.10 Million Compensation To Slain Pakistani Journalist’s Family
