‘A stolen car, 9 gunshots, one bullet to the head…’ final moments of murdered Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya

The Kenya Police Service has revealed details on the murder of top Pakistani journalist Arshad Shari, who was shot dead in Kenya on Sunday night.

"It was reported to Magadi police station vide OB 14/23/10/2022  at 22.00hrs that along Kuenia farm/ Kamukuru marram a shooting incident involving GSU officers had occurred and one Pakistan national namely Arshad Mohammed Shariff aged 50 years had been fatally shot while he was been driven in a motor vehicle registration number KDG 200M along that road when the deceased and his brother Khurram Ahmed were driving back to Nairobi," reads the police report.

The whole sad chain started hours earlier when Douglas Wainaina reported to the Pangani Police Station that his car had been stolen and his son Dancan Kamau was in the car.

"It started when officers from DCI Starehe circulated a report of theft of a motor vehicle/abduction vide OB 70/23/10/2022 that one Douglas Wainaina parked his motor vehicle registration number KDJ 700F outside an electrical shop and left his son namely Dancan Kamau inside the said motor vehicle," reads the statement.

The son was later found at Olosuritia ACK Church within Kiserian.

Many kilometres away, Khurram and his celebrated journalist brother Arshad Sharif were driving a totally different car along the Kuenia-Kamukuru rough road in Magadi, Kajiado when the gruesome incident happened.

"Before they reached the Kiserian-Magadi road, they found the road blocked using small stones and they decided to pass them," reads the police report.

"It was then they heard gunshots towards their vehicle directed from the front and rear. They did not stop and proceeded with the journey."

Following the gunshots, Khurran then called his friend Naqar Ahmed, a Pakistani national who resides in the area who advised them to pass by his place.

"Upon scrutiny of the said motor vehicle,  it had a bullet hole on the left side of the windscreen on the side the deceased was sitting, two bullet holes on the rear left back screen, one bullet hole on the rear right door, four holes right side of the boot and one front right tyre that had been deplated. The said Pakistan nationals claim that they are developers and reside in Nairobi. Scene was documented and the body taken to Chiromo mortuary awaiting postmortem."

Police have since said that the case was a matter of "mistaken identity".