NAIROBI – Former governor of Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi claimed thatsome elements from Pakistan, he dubs as “killer squad”, were involved inthe murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif.
Sharif, 49, was shot dead by Kenyan police in what they claimed a case of“mistaken identity” some kilometers away from the capital city on Sundaynight, while he was returning from Magadi Town.
The police of the East African country, in a statement, said they weresearching for a stolen vehicle with an abducted child inside on October 23when Sharif’s car did not stop at a checkpoint. Officers opened fire andone bullet hit the journalist in the head, leaving him dead on the spot.
The investigative journalist, who was a critic of country’s establishment,moved out of Pakistan in August after sedition case was filed against himover controversial remarks made by PTI leader Shahbaz Gill in his programmeon a private news channel.
The suspicious circumstances around the killing of Sharif have createduproar in the country, with people demanding a fair and transparent probeinto the incident.
The former Nairobi governor has issued a stunning statement, sendingshockwaves across the South Asian country.
Calling the National Police Service (NPS) innocent in the case, he saidthat Kenyan cops were tricked into shooting the Pakistani national.
In a Facebook post, Sonko claimed that the journalist was being chased by“a Pakistani killer squad” as he was working on an investigation report toexpose a money-laundering syndicate.
He went on to say that the money-laundering syndicate involved Pakistanipoliticians and members of the country’s “deep state”.
“Huyu journalist mmpandree the late Arshad Sharif was a wanted man inPakistan and the killer squad, deep state and the system of Pakistan werepursuing him wherever he was going. He was about to release a documentaryentitled ” Behind closed doors” which was implicating how Pakistanpoliticians and members of the Pakistan deep state and system launder moneyusing international financial systems. Hizi mashowrooms mob za mandaiKanairo na Mombasani ziko na doo zao mingi ambazo at the same time ni avery big boost to our economy coz they pay alot of taxes and wameandikawakenya wengi,” Sonko’s Facebook post read.
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He insisted that the police officers in Kajiado county who killed ArshadSharif are innocent because they were ‘tricked’ into shooting theinvestigative journalist.
The former governor said that the officers, who were deployed at thecheckpost, were informed through police radio that a stolen vehicle wastravelling towards Magadi and that the occupants were armed and verydangerous.
Sonko, who was removed as Nairobi governor over charges of misuse ofauthority, said that the police officers opened fire on the Sharif’svehicle after it was not stopped.
“Why I’m saying our junior police officers who were manning theNairobi-Magadi highway roadblock are innocent? Gari ya kina huyu journalistwas circulated kwa radio calls za police wote as a stollen vehicle and itwas believed the occupants were dangerous and heavily armed.
“When our good police officers were alerted the vehicle was approaching theroadblock, wote walijiprepare as usual na kustop hiyo gari but the the latejournalist and his driver ignored police orders to stop and instead sped upwhich forced the police to open fire while chasing the car.
“I think we all still remember the Westgate and Dusit terror attacks veryvividly hebu tufikirie vile terrorists waliingia kwa hizi buildings nakulikuwa na presence ya polisi? Na pia mujue ingekuwa hii gari yajournalist iko na terrorists wa ukweli ipite this roadblock while it wascirculated waende wauwe watu junction mall ama Galleria mall the officerskwa roadblock wangekuwa blamed na even kuloose jobs zao. So plse let’s notdemoralise the spirit of our officers wakiwa kazi wataogopa kupambana namajambazi,” Sonko wrote in local Swahii and English language post.
The body of slain journalist reached Islamabad in the wee hours ofWednesday. His funeral prayers will be held in Islamabad tomorrow(Thursday).
