Mystery deepens in Pakistani journalist’s roadblock murder

The mystery surrounding the shooting of the Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, 49, deepened yesterday following reports that one of the GSU officers at the roadblock was also shot by an unknown person.

A police report dated October, 23, signed by Julius Some, NPSC Magadi field indicate a police officer identified as Kelvin Mutuku sustained a bullet injury in a makeshift roadblock at Olosinyai.

According to the report, Mutuku and another officer were acting on a tip off from a certain officer that the vehicle KDJ 700F said to have been involved in an abduction case had been sighted along that route.

However, when the vehicle approached the roadblock at around 2020 hours, its occupants defied orders to stop and instead opened fire that left the officer injured on the wrist.

“Please note that today 23/10/2022 2045hours, I received a call from Sgt Obiero DCI Starehe who made a call to me, informing me that they are following an  abduction and carjacking of a motor vehicle registration KDJ700F Mercedes Benz white in colour. It is believed the occupant was Duncan Kamau,” reads the report.

The vehicle is said to have sped off towards Kamukuru, in the Nairobi direction.

 “Duty officer using GKB626Y Toyota Landcruiser rushed and erected a roadblock with a view of intercepting the vehicle. Corporal Kelvin Mutuku sustained a shot on the left hand wrist exiting on the palm. He was rushed to a Magadi hospital. He was admitted waiting further medication. He is in a stable condition,” reads the report. 

An assistant chief of Osonorua is also reported to have made a report of a suspicious abandoned vehicle.  It, however, emerges that the vehicle that was being tracked was later recovered at Olepolos area.  “Stapol Magadi, Scc Kajiado West and the aforementioned DCI personnel proceeded to the said abandoned motor vehicle where they established that one occupant, a middle aged adult was fatally injured. The scene of crime visited the two scenes,” the report reads. 

The report has further deepened the mystery surrounding Sharif’s murder. Sharif is said to have been fatally shot by GSU officers while in the company of his brother after defying orders to stop at a roadblock. Police have since blamed the incident on mistaken identity. National Police Service spokesperson Bruno Shioso said investigations into the incident have kicked off. 

Meanwhile, Sharif’s body arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday afternoon ahead of his cremation on Thursday at a local cemetery, his widow Javeria Siddique was quoted as saying.

In a tweet, Siddique said; “Authorities in Kenya are answerable to us”. She also shared pictures of her husband’s body arriving in Pakistan.