Arshad Sharif was murdered in Kenya and the cops who were allegedly involved in his murder have returned to their duties. (Image: X/@WarriorWCA)
Arshad Sharif, an outspoken journalist, was murdered in a remote part of Kenya but lack of political goodwill means the killers may go scot-free.
The five Kenyan officers allegedly involved in the murder of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif resumed their duties as authorities in Nairobi did not take any action against them. A report by Pakistan’s Geo News said that the police officers involved are back to work and two of those five officers have been promoted to senior ranks.
The five allegedly involved officers are also enjoying full police perks as well.
Arshad Sharif was killed in October 2022 at a roadblock in a remote part of Kenya. The Kenyan Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA) which at that time said that it would make the findings of the probe into the journalist’s murder public within weeks has not made any finding public in nine months.
The Pakistani media outlet said the Kenyan IPOA refused to answer questions regarding the reinstatement of the police officers as well.
Geo News in its report claimed that the Kenyan probe into the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif has gone silent.
Kevin Kimuyu Mutuku, a police officer attached to the General Service Unit (GSU), who was allegedly shot at the scene of crime where Sharif was killed immediately returned to work after he was released from the hospital. Mutuku claims the shots were fired from inside the car but the Geo News report cited that the forensic investigation does not align with the claim.
Sharif arrived in Kenya on August 20 and died on October 23 in a shootout but Khurram Ahmad survived miraculously sparking speculations as to what led to Sharif’s mother.
Arshad Sharif fled Pakistan in August to avoid arrest after he was slapped with several cases including sedition charges. He had interviewed Shahbaz Gill, a former aide of Imran Khan.
After fleeing to Kenya he was living at the Riverside penthouse of businessman Waqar Ahmad, the brother of the driver Khurram Ahmad.
Geo News said that the National Police Service (NPS) in Kenya slowed down the investigation because its own members were involved. Kenya’s Human Rights Commission member Martin Mavenjina told Geo News that it was clear that the National Police Service in Kenya is not interested in a detailed probe. He said the time taken by the police shows they are not interested in pursuing the case.
Martin Mavenjina told Geo News that Sharif’s family may not end up getting justice.
Mavenjina said that there is lack of political goodwill as well which has resulted in the delay.
“We have already learnt that the deceased was an outspoken journalist. He was loved and hated on equal measure. If there was a positive political goodwill then automatically the investigations by now could have been concluded,” Mavenjina was quoted as saying by Geo News.
Former Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Siddiqui told Geo News that the Kenyan Police were privy to “this planned murder”.
“I have no doubt in my mind that Kenyan Police were privy to this planned murder. It is so painful for the family of Arshad Sharif that even those officials who played the role of hired assassins have been let free and brought back to their rank,” Siddiqui was quoted as saying.
All eyes are now on caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar who visits Kenya next month, with caretaker foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, at the invitation of Kenyan President William Ruto.
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