Was Arshad Sharif's killing truly a case of mistaken identity?

Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif. Investigations into the shooting of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif have taken a new twist after a postmortem report by the Pakistani government contradicted one done in Kenya. The postmortem report by Chief Government pathologist Johansen Odour says that Sharif died of multiple injuries. Dr Odour said the journalist suffered a gunshot wound to the head and chest, and that a high-velocity firearm had been used in the shooting. The report further stated that some specimen, including blood, liver and finger nails, had been collected for further examination. Pakistani ambassador and deputy ambassador identified the body of the journalist and were present during the postmortem examination at the Chiromo mortuary on October 24, a day after Sharif was shot dead in Magadi, Kajiado County. However, Pakistani media, citing a report a postmortem exam done in Islmabad, claimed the journalist was brutally tortured for hours before being shot dead. The media in Islamabad said autopsy was conducted by a committee constituted by Pakistani officials. The media claimed that Sharif was pushed out of his vehicle and tortured for almost three hours, as evidenced by his plucked-out fingernails and two fractured fingers. After this torture and murder, the journalist was put back in his car seat to make it look like a "mistaken identity" incident, the media reported. Pakistani Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told journalist in Islamabad that there was evidence suggesting that Sharif was the victim of a targeted killing in Kenya and not an accidental shooting. He was quoted saying he still needed more information on the incident. In Kenya, investigations into the shooting is being conducted by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). Soon after reports emerged on Sharif's death, the Kenyan Government said the journalist was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity by GSU officers who were manning a roadblock in Magadi, after the driver of the vehicle he was travelling in defied orders by the police to stop. Bruno Shioso, then National Police Service Spokesman, said GSU officers were alerted by their colleagues from Nairobi that a vehicle that resembled the one that the journalist was driving in had been spotted in their area. Later, a team of senior officials from the Pakistan Government together with Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) sleuths were involved in a fact-finding mission on the shooting of the journalist. GSU officers not interviewed Sources privy to the matter said the delegation from Pakistan was provided with details of the incident, but were not allowed to interview the GSU officers and their commanders in Magadi. Noor Gabow, who was the acting Inspector General of Police when the incident happened, in a letter to the Foreign Affairs ministry for transmission to Islamabad, maintained Sharif's shooting was accidental. The letter dated October 28, provided the circumstances of the shooting as received by the police. Back in Pakistani, Sanaullah has dismissed the explanation by the Kenyan Government on the matter. Sky News quoted the minister saying, "Arshad Sharif's death is not a case of mistaken identity - I can say, and, on the evidence we have so far, this prima facie is a target killing. "We still need to obtain more [evidence] to confirm all this... and we have asked the Kenyan government for more data." The news agency reported that an initial police report on the death of the journalist stated that it was a case of "mistaken identity", but a later contradictory account from officers claimed his vehicle drove through a roadblock and the officers who fired the shots were looking for car thieves at the time. The 49-year-old journalist was a key supporter of Imran Khan, who was ousted as the prime minister of Pakistan in April.

Was Arshad Sharif's killing truly a case of mistaken identity?

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