Details of Murdered Pakistani Journalist's Bush Meeting With Americans in Kenya

Details are now emerging of the lasting meeting that Arshad Sherif, the Pakistani journalist who was killed on October 23, 2022, had with Americans before he met his death. 

This follows an interview of Waqar Ahmed, one of the two brothers who were hosting the slain journalist in Kenya, by detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday, November 17. 

According to a detective privy to the investigations, Ahmed indicated in his statement that he and Sharif had attended a party in a bush within his joint located in Kajiado West, Kajiado county on the fateful night. 

A collage of Arshad Sharif and the vehicle in which he was shot dead.

“He was part of 12 people who attended a party within the joint,” the DCI source who spoke to Nation in confidence as he is not authorized to address the media indicated.

According to the official, “the party was conducted within the bush in the joint and was attended by six American nationals who were commanders of a larger team that was within the camp.” 

However, the officer wondered how the Americans managed to get to the joint and on whose jurisdiction they have been training at the camp.

“Such plans usually have an agreement between the governments concerned,” the officer revealed to the media.

These new details add a twist to the ongoing investigations into the murder of the Pakistani journalist by teams from Kenya and Pakistan. 

Earlier, Ahmed and and his brother Khurram Ahmed had told the investigating officers that the shooting incident was a “misidentification.”

“On the incident day, Arshad had a meal with us at our lodge. After the meal, Arshad Sharif left with my brother Khurram in car and half an hour later there was a report of firing on the vehicle,” Ahmed told the investigation team earlier on.

It also emerged that Waqar Ahmed contacted the Canadian High Commission and sought protection after he was listed among the persons of interest in the death of the journalist.

Arshad Sherif is alleged to have been shot by officers attached to the General Service Unit (GSU). 

Sherif’s family requested the court to allow for the case about his killing to be conducted in Pakistan. 

A collage of the late Arshad Sharif and his wife Javeria Siddique.