The government has been ordered to pay 10 million shillings in compensation to the family of Arshad Sharif, a Pakistani journalist killed in 2022. High Court Judge Stella Mutuku ruled that Sharif’s killing was unconstitutional, violating his rights to life and protection.

Mutuku criticized the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), and other investigative agencies for their slow progress in concluding the investigation and prosecuting the police officers involved in Sharif’s death.

Following the judgment, the state requested a 30-day suspension of the decision to allow time for an appeal, which the court granted. Sharif’s family had sued the government, asserting his right to protection after he was shot by police in Kajiado County on October 23, 2022, allegedly due to mistaken identity.

Javeria Siddique, Sharif’s widow, filed a lawsuit against Kenyan authorities exactly one year later, naming the Attorney General, the National Police Service, and the DPP as defendants. She sought acknowledgment of responsibility, transparency, and an apology for her husband’s death.

Sharif, an anchor for ARY News, had moved to Kenya from the UAE in August 2022 following legal challenges in Pakistan. Reports indicate that police officers were involved in the killing. The Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) confirmed police involvement in the shooting, with Chairperson Anne Makori stating that the incident fell within IPOA’s mandate. Initially, authorities claimed Sharif’s death resulted from mistaken identity, as officers allegedly mistook his vehicle for a stolen one linked to an abduction.