Africa

Kenyan policemen guilty over UK aristocrat’s death

A Kenyan court has ruled that four police officers are guilty of manslaughter in the case of British aristocrat Alexander Monson, who died in custody after being arrested in the coastal city of Mombasa in 2012.

Judge Erick Ogola ruled that Alexander Monson was brutally tortured by unknown people.

He said the officers had covered up what happened to the 28-year-old.

Monson was the son of Lord Nicholas Monson.

He was heir to his family estate in Lincolnshire and had moved to Kenya in 2008 to live with his mother.

Police arrested him for allegedly smoking cannabis in the Diani beach resort in May 2012.

His mother told the court in 2019 that her son was not a drug addict.

A pathologist hired by the family found that Monson was killed by a blow to the back of his head.

Toxicology reports showed he had no drugs in his system at the time.

Three Kenyan policemen have been charged with the murder of the son of a British aristocrat who died in custody.

Alexander Monson, 28, son of Lord Nicholas Monson, was arrested for allegedly smoking cannabis in the Diani beach resort in May 2012.

He was found dead in his cell after being detained during a night out.

Naftali Chege, Charles Wangombe Munyiri and Baraka Bulima all denied the charge when they appeared at the High Court in Mombasa on Thursday.

They have been detained until July19 pending a ruling on their application for bail, according to the Reuters news agency.

A fourth officer, John Pamba, failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The charges come after an inquest that ruled Mr Monson had died of brain injuries after being arrested.

Mr Monson, who was the son of the 12th Baron Monson and heir to the family estate in Lincolnshire, moved to Kenya to live with his mother Hilary Monson in 2008.

Kenyan police covered up the death of a British lord’s son three years ago, an inquest into his death has heard.

Yusuf Abubakar, representing the family of Alexander Monson, told the court in Mombasa police had tampered with witness statements. -Reuters

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