Senior journalist and anchorperson Arshad Sharif was shot dead in Nairobi, his wife confirmed early Monday morning, with the Kenyan police saying that the journalist was shot in a “mistaken identity” case.
“I lost friend, husband and my favourite journalist [Arshad Sharif] today, as per police he was shot in Kenya,” she tweeted.
Siddiqui said Kenya’s police told her that Sharif was shot dead in Nairobi, while further investigation is underway.
I lost friend, husband and my favourite journalist @arsched today, as per police he was shot in Kenya.
Respect our privacy and in the name of breaking pls don’t share our family pics, personal details and his last pictures from hospital.
Remember us in ur prayers. pic.twitter.com/wP1BJxqP5e— Javeria Siddique (@javerias) October 24, 2022
Kenyan newspaper The Star reported Sharif was fatally shot in the head by the city’s police over an alleged violation of a roadblock.
“We had an incident of shooting, which turned out to be a case of mistaken identity involving a journalist. We will release more information later,” The Star quoted a police officer as saying.
As per the publication, the police said that personnel at the manned roadblock had received information to intercept a car similar to the one Sharif and his driver were using following a carjacking incident in Nairobi in which a child was allegedly taken hostage.
The Star reported that Sharif was asked to stop for identification but he allegedly drove past the roadblock. This led to a brief chase and shooting that left the journalist dead, it added.
The Kenyan publication said that Sharif’s driver was injured and taken to hospital. It added that the driver told the law enforcement officials that he and Sharif were developers and headed for a site in Magadi.
The police headquarters have said that Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority will investigate the case. Meanwhile, a senior police officer shared that a comprehensive statement will be released later.
Nairobi police issued a statement regarding the incident,
Official police report now says; Arshad Sharif and his brother Khuram found the road blocked ‘with small stones and they decided to pass it, it was then that they heard several gunshots.” The report does not say WHO was fring the shots. Journalist from Kenya also raising question about the facts told by police.
The police statement on the #ArshadShariff killing has too many gaps. First, if it was a case of a stolen vehicle, the number plates of the stolen car and the one Arshad was are different. They don’t say the make. By the time of the incident, the “abducted” son had been found. 1/
— Eliud Kibii (@eliudkibii) October 24, 2022