Kenyan court awards Sh289m to widow of Pakistani journalist killed by police

A Kenyan court has awarded 10 million shillings ($78,000; £61,000) in damages to the widow of a prominent Pakistani journalist who was shot dead by police at a roadblock nearly two years ago.

Arshad Sharif is a television anchor known for his strong criticism of Pakistan’s powerful military leaders and political corruption.

The father of five children His death threats against Pakistan’s top judgeand then fled their homeland to seek safety abroad.

Two months later, Sharif was killed by police in the Kenyan town of Kajiado, sparking public outrage and officials’ slow response that prompted UN experts to criticize Kenya and Pakistan.

Kenyan police argued that it was a case of mistaken identity, but Sharif’s widow, Javeria Siddique, said it was a killing-for-hire commissioned by an unnamed person in Pakistan.

‘It’s a relief for me and my family’

On Monday, the Kajiado High Court rejected a ruling that Kenyan authorities had acted illegally and violated Sharif’s right to life. The court ruled that Ms Siddiq would receive compensation with interest until it is paid in full.

“The loss of life cannot be compensated by money, nor can the pain and suffering endured by the family. But it is agreed that compensation is an appropriate remedy for the violation of fundamental rights,” Justice Stella Mutuku said while delivering the judgment.

The judge also ruled that Kenya’s attorney general and the independent police watchdog violated Sharif’s rights by failing to prosecute the two officers involved in the case. The court has ordered the two bodies to end their investigations and prosecute the officers.

In response to the ruling, Ochiel Dudley, a lawyer representing Sharif’s widow, said it was “a victory for Sharif’s family and a victory for the Kenyan people to hold the police accountable.”

Sharif’s widow, Ms. Siddiq, thanked the Kenyan judiciary but added that her work was far from done.

She said: “This verdict is a relief to me and my family, but I will not give up my determination to seek the best possible justice for my husband.”

The BBC has asked Kenyan authorities to respond to the ruling.

The police have Police have conflicting accounts of Sharif’s death.

One report said the 49-year-old man was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser that police mistook for a similar vehicle that had been stolen.

In another version, police claimed a passenger in the car fired shots, and then officers returned fire.

Like her late husband, Ms Siddiq is also a journalist and filed the case in October last year along with the Kenya Union of Journalists and the Kenya Association of Journalists.

She and her co-petitioners are demanding transparency, an apology and accountability from Kenyan authorities for what they call Sharif’s “targeted assassination”.

She told the BBC she has still not been able to get justice for her husband in Pakistan, but will continue to campaign for the protection of journalists and seek help from the United Nations and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Source: BBC.

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