NAIROBI, Kenya – The Court of Appeal has upheld a High Court decision awarding Sh10 million in compensation to the family of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, who was fatally shot by Kenyan police at a roadblock in Kajiado in 2021.
Sharif, a prominent investigative TV anchor and outspoken critic of Pakistan’s military and political establishment, had fled his home country following alleged death threats.
Just two months after arriving in Kenya, he was gunned down in what police described as a case of mistaken identity.
The Kajiado High Court previously ruled that Kenyan authorities violated Sharif’s right to life, and ordered the state to compensate his widow, Javeria Siddique, with interest accruing until full payment is made.
The appellate judges affirmed that ruling on Thursday, saying state agents must be held accountable for extrajudicial killings.
“Loss of life cannot be compensated in monetary terms, nor can the pain and suffering endured by the family. But there is consensus that compensation is an appropriate remedy for redress in cases of violation of fundamental rights,” ruled Justice Stella Mutuku in the initial judgment.
The court also censured the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for failing to charge the officers involved.
Both agencies were ordered to conclude investigations and prosecute those responsible.
Kenyan police claimed Sharif, 49, was travelling in a Toyota Land Cruiser resembling a stolen vehicle they were pursuing, and alleged one of the occupants had opened fire — prompting officers to shoot back.
However, the court questioned the inconsistencies in the police version of events, noting that key details had shifted over time.
Sharif’s widow has insisted the killing was an internationally coordinated assassination, pointing to individuals in Pakistan who allegedly wanted him silenced.
The court did not rule on those claims but acknowledged the police account lacked credibility.
The case was filed jointly by Siddique, the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), and the Kenya Correspondents Association, who demanded justice, transparency, and an official apology for what they described as a targeted killing of a journalist in exile.
Sharif’s death sparked international outrage and drew condemnation from UN human rights experts, who criticized the slow pace of investigations in both Kenya and Pakistan.
With the appellate court’s decision, the Kenyan government is now legally bound to compensate the Sharif family and take action against those involved in the killing — a rare rebuke of law enforcement in a country where impunity for police abuse remains a persistent challenge.
