Pakistani journalist killed by police in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | A renowned Pakistani journalist was shot dead on Sunday night by Kenyan police at a roadblock in the southeast of the capital, Nairobi, in a case of “mistaken identity”, police said in a report.

The police said Arshad Mohammed Sharif, 50, was killed after he and his brother Khurram Ahmed allegedly breached a roadblock that had been set up to check on motor vehicles using the route in Kajiado County.

The two brothers were driving from Magadi town to Nairobi when they were flagged down at a roadblock being manned by a group of General Service Unit officers at about 10 pm., according to the report.

The roadblock was erected following a call for police to intercept a car similar to the one they were driving following a carjacking incident in Nairobi where a child was taken hostage.

According to the police, Sharif’s car emerged later at the roadblock and was stopped but allegedly failed to stop and drove past the roadblock.

This prompted a brief chase and shooting that left Sharif dead, the police said. The car had been shot at from both the front and rear sides.

The police said the brother drove off and called another Pakistani national living in the area and informed him of the incident and the latter told the brother to pass by his place. On arrival at the residence, the brother realized Sharif had died of the injury in the head.

The national police said Independent Policing Oversight Authority, a civilian watchdog, will take over the case.