Police responsible for journalist's killing, court rules

A Kenyan court said police acted unlawfully in using lethal force against a Pakistani journalist killed near the capital in October 2022, ordering thousands of dollars in compensation for his widow. Arshad Sharif died when police opened fire on his car at a roadblock outside Nairobi. Voice of America reports that the authorities said it was a case of mistaken identity. The court in Kajiado, where Sharif was killed, ruled the use of deadly force against the Pakistani journalist was ‘arbitrary, unproportional, illegal and unconstitutional,’ and ordered the state to pay $77 000 to his family. The payment was suspended for 30 days after the State Attorney claimed there were insufficient funds. The court also ordered authorities to conclude their investigation and take action against the police officers involved. Javeria Siddique, one of Sharif's two wives, filed the lawsuit in Kenyan court on 23 October 2024, exactly one year after the shooting. ‘I was not very hopeful. This was a politically motivated murder,’ Siddique said. ‘Of course, implementation will take time. For me, today's victory will leave a huge mark on press freedom and freedom of expression.’ Sharif, a prominent news anchor, fled Pakistan in August 2022 while facing sedition charges. He had become a vocal critic of Pakistan's powerful military establishment after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from office in a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022.