It doesn’t add up! Lawyer Makau Mutua on slain Pakistan journalist Arshad Sharif

Lawyer Makau Mutua has claimed that a police report on the circumstances under which Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif died was not very clear.

In a series of tweets, Mr. Mutua said that the manner in which Mr. Shariff, an investigative journalist who worked in Pakistan was killed raised more questions than answers.

Also read: Mistaken Identity: Police explain how slain Pakistan journalist lost his life [caption id="attachment_208178" align="aligncenter" width="341"] Pakistani journalist Arshad Shareef. PHOTO: COURTESY[/caption]

Mr. Sharif, an award-winning journalist was shot dead by police officers who were manning a roadblock along the busy Magadi Road on the night of Sunday, October 23, in what police say was a case of mistaken identity.

“The killing-murder, assassination, mistaken identity contract killing, whatever you call it- of Arshad Shariff does not add up,” tweeted Mr. Mutua.

The renowned journalist said that the rate at which things were going was wanting and they were headed south and it was important they are handled in a proper way before they get out of hand.

Also read: Last people to see slain Pakistan journalist, Arshad Sharif, questioned 

[caption id="attachment_208177" align="aligncenter" width="527"] Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif. PHOTO: COURTESY[/caption]

In the report and a statement issued by the National Police Service (NPS), Mr. Sharif was shot dead by officers attached to the General Service Unit (GSU) who were manning a roadblock after sleuths attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Pangani Police Station informed them of a motor vehicle that had been stolen from Nairobi.

This comes even as the Pakistan government ordered that a Judicial Commission headed by a High Court Judge should probe the killing of the journalist.

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In a statement, Information Minister in Pakistan Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had decided to form the commission.

In new developments, the commission's leader was also given the freedom to appoint more members from the media fraternity and civil society to come up with a report on the findings that will be made.

The death of the journalist who was on the run has put Kenya in the limelight mainly after it emerged that he was having issues with the administration of his home country that even saw him flee to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after he was informed of plans to deport him back to his home country.

Also read:  Exclusive: Nick Ndeda on why it didn’t work out with Betty Kyallo The announcement comes just hours after the Islamabad High Court refused a petition to form an immediate Judicial Commission to probe his death.

On Monday, Barrister Shoaib Razzak moved to the Islamabad High Court and demanded an investigation by forming a Judicial Commission to probe the killing.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition but said that there was no need of having the commission because the journalist had been killed in another country.

“There is no point to constitute a judicial commission at this stage. This was a matter between two countries so the state institutions can handle the situation more efficiently,” said the Chief Justice.

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