A Kenyan court has ruled that police acted unlawfully in the 2022 killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif.
The decision comes after a year-long legal battle initiated by Sharif’s widow, Javeria Siddique, and supported by Kenyan journalist groups.
Sharif, a vocal critic of Pakistan’s military and supporter of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was fatally shot by police in October 2022.
Police initially claimed it was a case of mistaken identity, but the court rejected this explanation.
Judge Stella Mutuku of the High Court in Kajiado declared the killing unconstitutional and a violation of Sharif’s right to life.
The court also found the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority negligent in their investigation and ordered them to pursue charges against the officers involved.
Sharif had fled Pakistan in August 2022 following an interview with a prominent opposition figure.
The interview’s content, which advocated for military disobedience against unpopular orders, is believed to have triggered his departure.
This landmark decision sets a precedent for police accountability in Kenya and offers some measure of justice for Sharif’s family.
However, questions remain about the future prosecution of the officers involved and the broader climate for press freedom in Pakistan.
